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D Jiménez Castro

Publications and source records attributed to D Jiménez Castro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Diagnostic value of adenosine deaminase in nontuberculous lymphocytic pleural effusions.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) can aid in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusions, but false-positive findings from lymphocytic effusions have been reported. The purpose of this study is to assess the ADA levels in nontuberculous lymphocytic pleural effusions (lymphocyte count > 50%) of different aetiologies. Altogether, 410 nontuberculous lymphocytic pleural fluid samples were consecutively selected. These included malignant effusions (n = 221), idiopathic effusions (n = 76), parapneumonic effusions (n = 35), postcoronary artery bypass graft surgery effusions (n = 6), miscellaneous exudative effusions (n = 21) and transudative effusions (n = 51). The ADA level reached the diagnostic cut-off for tuberculosis (40 U x L(-1)) in seven of the 410 cases (1.71%). The negative predictive value of ADA for the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis was 99% (403 of 407 cases) in the group of lymphocytic pleural effusions. In five of these seven patients ADA1 and ADA2 were measured, and in all these cases (100%) ADA1/ADA(p) correctly classified these lymphocytic effusions as nontuberculous (ratio < 0.42). This prospective study provides additional evidence that adenosine deaminase levels in nontuberculous lymphocytic pleural effusions seldom exceed the cut-off set for tuberculous effusions. The pleural fluid adenosine deaminase levels were significantly higher in different types of exudative effusions than in transudates. An adenosine deaminase level < 40 IU x L(-1) virtually excluded a diagnosis of tuberculosis in lymphocytic pleural effusions. Adenosine deaminase1/adenosine deaminase(p) correctly classified all nontuberculous lymphocytic pleural effusions with high adenosine deaminase levels.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed2003

Prognostic features of residual pleural thickening in parapneumonic pleural effusions.

The objective of the study was the identification of predictive factors for the development of residual pleural thickening (RPT) in patients with parapneumonic effusion. The design of the prospective study involved investigating patients with parapneumonic pleural effusions diagnosed between March 1991 and December 2000 in the respiratory department of Hospital Ramón y Cajal (Madrid, Spain) which is a 1,500 tertiary-care hospital. The clinical and radiological characteristics and measurements of microbiological and biochemical variables in the pleural fluid taken from the patients were studied. RPT was defined in a posteroanterior chest radiograph as pleural thickening of > or = 10 mm measured at the lateral chest wall at the level of an imaginary line, tangent to the diaphragmatic dome. A total of 48 of the 348 patients studied (13.79%) were found to have RPT. Among the factors studied, only presence of pus in the pleural space, Fine classes IV and V, temperature > or = 38 degrees C and delayed resolution of pleural effusions after diagnosis (> 15 days) were independently associated with the risk of RPT. This study showed that significant residual pleural thickening was not a common complication of parapneumonic pleural effusions. There are certain risk factors for the development of residual pleural thickening. However, this complication was not associated with long-term functional repercussions in the series of patients involved in this study.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Comparative analysis of Light's criteria and other biochemical parameters to distinguish exudates from transudates].

Light's criteria have classically been used to differentiate exudates from transudates. Nevertheless, a number of studies have attempted to identify more efficient parameters. The objective of our study was to determine the usefulness of biochemical parameters to differentiate transudates from exudates, and to compare them with the so far best studied criteria: the Light's criteria. We prospectively analysed 850 non selected cases of pleural effusion, with closed final diagnosis after its confirmation, therapeutic response and follow-up, collected consecutively at the Pleura Unit of our hospital. The parameters evaluated as potentially discriminatory between transudates and exudates included: glucose, proteins, albumin, lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH), cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and adenosin-deaminase (ADA), both separately and in combination to obtain the highest yield. The highest diagnostic yield was observed with the combination of pleural cholesterol, pleural LDH, and the pleural fluid/serum protein ratio, but without significant differences between combinations of pleural cholesterol and LDH, pleaural LDH and pleural proteins, Light's criteria or modified Light's criteria. We recommend the use of pleural cholesterol higher than 47 mg/dl and pleural LDH higher than 222 IU/l to offer the same yield as the combination of three parameters, due to its lower cost and because the necessity of serum determinations is avoided.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

The use of adenosine deaminase and adenosine deaminase isoenzymes in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis.

The bacillary population described in tuberculous pleuritis is small, and its most likely pathogenetic mechanism is essentially immunologic. This explains why, until now, the diagnostic identification of tuberculous pleuritis (TP) has been based on the presence of granulomas in pleural biopsy. Correcting this diagnostic deficiency through other parameters related to the specific pathogenetic mechanism has been widely studied. The determination of the levels of adenosine deaminase (ADA) in pleural fluid offers high performance in its discriminating capacity to identify TP (sensitivity 87 to 100%, specificity 81 to 97%). Adenosine deaminase expresses the sum of two isoenzymes (ADA1 and ADA2). ADA1 is ubiquitous in all cells, including lymphocytes and monocytes, whereas ADA2 is found only in monocytes. Analysis and determination of these isoenzymes have shown that ADA in TP increases particularly at the expense of ADA2 and that the ADA1 /ADAp activity ratio improves performance in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and efficacy (100%, 92 to 97%, and 98%, respectively) in correcting all false-negative and false-positive results except 1 to 9% of nonlymphoproliferative malignancies. Only the high performance of ADA in the identification of TP allows it to be assumed that pleural biopsy can be obviated, especially in patients aged less than 35 years of age or having a lymphocyte-to-neutrophil proportion of more than 0.75 in regions of high prevalence. Quick determination and low cost justify its routine use in exudates. The ADA1 /ADAp activity ratio improves performance even more and could be used in cases with uncertain diagnoses or in regions with low prevalence of tuberculosis.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1999

Modification of pleural fluid pH by local anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: It is a common practice to anesthetize patients before performing a thoracentesis. We postulated that this technique may cause a clinically significant difference in the pH of the pleural fluid. METHODS: We compared two methods of determining pleural fluid pH. Fifty patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic thoracentesis were enrolled. Two 4-mL aliquots of pleural fluid were anaerobically collected into blood gas syringes containing heparin, one before (group A) and the other after (group B) anesthetizing the patient with 5 mL of 2% mepivacaine. pH was then determined on both samples using an arterial blood gas machine. Agreement analysis was performed overall and in subcategories of pH used to define complicated (<7.1), borderline (7.1 to 7.3), or uncomplicated (>7.3) parapneumonic effusions. We analyzed these same data stratified by the volume of pleural fluid in relationship to the size of the hemithorax (<15% and >15%). RESULTS: There was a statistical difference between the mean pH in both groups (group A, 7.32; group B, 7.28; p<0.0001). There was a significant correlation between the two measures (r = 0.97; p<0.0001). Using the pH subcategories, there was 45% discordance in classification for patients with parapneumonic effusions. The pH values obtained in group B wrongly predicted whether the patient required a chest tube in two of four cases (50%). In patients with effusions that occupied <15% of the affected hemithorax, there was an 80% discordance in classification for patients with parapneumonic effusions, and the pH values obtained in group B wrongly predicted whether the patient required a chest tube in two of two cases (100%). CONCLUSIONS: Local anesthesia is typically used before thoracentesis is performed. However, in cases of suspected parapneumonic effusions that occupy <15% of the affected hemithorax, pH results may be significantly altered by use of local mepivacaine anesthesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Pleural eosinophilia: its diagnostic and prognostic significance].

Pleural eosinophilia (PE) has been usually associated with a good prognosis. Trying to clarify the diagnostic and prognostic significance of those effusions, we studied 50 consecutive PE from our Pleural Unit. Forty four of them met criteria of exudate and six of transudate. PE was significantly more frequent in traumatic pleural effusions, and less frequent in malignant and parapneumonic effusions. There were not statistical differences in the number of malignant effusions associated or not with eosinophilia. We conclude that the presence of pleural eosinophilia is an useful parameter to exclude tuberculous pleural effusions, but not to lessen the likelihood of malignancy. Pleural eosinophilia in an idiopathic pleural effusion means a good prognosis.

Adult↗