Case 22-1985: An 88-Year-Old Man with a Pleural Effusion

To the Editor: We enjoy reading the clinicopathological conferences, but it seems that in Case 22–1985 (May 30 issue), 1 good clinical judgment is displaced by academic interests. The patient under discussion has an exudative, lymphocytic pleural effusion and a positive intermediate skin test for tuberculosis. He is hospitalized for a week; then a second thoracentesis is done to obtain fluid for lymphocyte studies. When the results of these studies are known, Dr. Kazemi states, "At that point it was clear that we had to proceed with a biopsy." In fact, the pleural biopsy was indicated as soon as the results . . . No extract is available for articles shorter than 400 words.