THE LEVEL OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN PLEURAL EFFUSIONS OF VARIOUS NATURE

The prospective study evaluated the differential diagnostic value of anti-inflammatory cytokines – tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and interleukin-8 in the patients suffering from pleural effusions of various nature (parapneumonic, tuberculous, malignant and transsudate). It was found out that the marker of parapneumonic pleural effusion and pleural empyema was interleukin-8. The high concentration of this cytokine was detected in blood and pleural fluid. Clinical and immunological associations were found out between the level of interleukin-1β in blood/pleural fluid in pleural effusions of tuberculous and malignant nature. The obtained data can be used as additional criteria in differential diagnostics of pleural effusions.