Distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with exudative pleural effusions.

Abstract

Simultaneous pleural and peripheral-blood T and Fc lymphocytes were quantitated to determine whether any diagnostic pattern could be observed in pleural effusions of diverse etiology. Of the 27 cases studied, there were 12 malignant, 3 tuberculous, 2 collagen-disease, and 10 nonspecific pleural effusions. No difference in percentage distribution of T and Fc lymphocytes was found in the pleural fluid among different etiologies. Ten of 12 cases of malignancy, all of the cases of tuberculosis, and all of the cases of collagen disease had a ratio of pleural-fluid T lymphocytes per mm3 to peripheral-blood T lymphocytes per mm3 greater than one, indicating an increase in T lymphocytes in the pleural fluid. In only 2 of the nonspecific effusions was the ratio greater than one (P < 0.002). Absolute peripheral-blood T lymphopenia was noted in 16 of 17 patients with specific effusions and in only 2 of 10 patients with nonspecific effusions (P < 0.002). No significant differences were noted in Fc lymphocytes among g...