DIAGNOSTIC POTENTIAL OF CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN AND FERRITINE IN TUBERCULOUS AND MALIGNANT PLEURAL EFFUSION

The aim of the study was to determine the diagnostic value of carcinoe mbryonic antigen (CEA) and ferritine in malignant and tuberculous non- bloody pleural effusion, The etiology of diseases was determined by cy tologic, histologic and microbiologic methods. CEA concentration above 5 ng/ml and ferritine concentration above 200 ng/ml were considered t o be positive, There was significant difference in the value of CEA me asured in malignant and in tuberculous pleural effusion (P < 0.005) as well as in the sera (P < 0.01) of these two groups, There was no corr elation between concentration of CEA and ferritine in malignant pleura l effusion. Ratio between CEA and ferritine in effusions and sera was of no help in discrminating malignant from tuberculous effusions. No c orrelation between examined markers and physical status of patients wa s observed, The sensitivity and specificity of CEA assay in malignant pleural effusion was 65% and 90%, respectively, and for ferritine 67% and 80%, respectively, A high correlation was observed between the CEA concentration in malignant pleural effusion and sera patients (r = 0. 95). Combined sensitivity and specificity of CEA and ferritine was 65. 9% and 85%. Bayes theorem was used to calculate the positive predictiv e values for CEA and ferritine, which were 53% and 37%, respectively, Results obtained in the study show the relatively good diagnostic pote ntial of CEA.