N. Graudal et al., DIAGNOSTIC-VALUE OF LACTOFERRIN ANALYSIS IN PLEURAL EFFUSIONS, European journal of clinical chemistry and clinical biochemistry, 32(7), 1994, pp. 521-524
Lactoferrin was analysed with an ELISA in pleural effusions from 21 pa
tients with malignant exudative effusions (15 carcinomas and 6 mesothe
liomas), 12 patients with non-malignant exudative effusions of unknown
aetiology, 11 patients with transudative effusions due to congestive
heart failure, 12 patients with exudative effusions secondary to infec
tion, and 2 patients with tuberculous effusions. Median pleural fluid
lactoferrin was 133 mug/l (range 25 -435) in carcinomas, 55 mug/l (23-
185) in mesotheliomas, 198 mug/l (31-530) in non-malignant exudates, 6
8 mug/l (17-205) in transudates, 1815 mug/l (1380-2050) in infectious
exudates and 107 mug/l (88-125) in tuberculosis. Due to a wide overlap
between the various groups pleural fluid lactoferrin appears to be of
limited value in the routine diagnostic evaluation of non-infectious
pleural effusions, but seems to separate infectious exudates from non-
infectious exudates.