SERUM AND PLEURAL FLUID SELENIUM, COPPER, ZINC, AND MAGNESIUM LEVELS IN MALIGNANT AND NONMALIGNANT PLEURAL DISEASES

In the present study, selenium (Se), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and magne sium (Mg) levels in serum and pleural fluid from patients with maligna nt and nonmalignant pleural diseases were measured and compared with s erum concentrations in healthy subjects. Serum/pleural fluid ratios we re also calculated for each element. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of trace metals, especially Se, in neopl astic and nonneoplastic pleural diseases. Serum Cu and Mg levels were significantly higher in both malignant and nonmalignant groups of pati ents when compared with control subjects (p < 0.05). However, serum le vels of these elements did not show a significant difference between m alignant and nonmalignant cases (p > 0.05). The serum/pleural fluid ra tio of Zn was significantly lower in patients with malignant effusions than in benign conditions (p = 0.05). Serum and pleural fluid Se, Cu, Zn and Mg levels were not significantly different between the two gro ups (p > 0.05). Thus, Se, Cu, Zn, and Mg seem to have no diagnostic va lue for distinguishing malignant from nonmalignant effusions.