BackgroundTuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) is a paucibacillary manifestation of tuberculosis, so isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is difficult, biomarkers being an alternative for diagnosis. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is the most cost-effective pleural fluid marker and is routinely used in high prevalence settings, whereas its value is questioned in areas with low prevalence. The lymphocyte proportion (LP) is known to increase the specificity of ADA for this diagnosis. We analyse the diagnostic usefulness of ADA alone and the combination of ADA ≥40 U/l (ADA40) and LP≥50% (LP50) in three different prevalence scenarios over 11 years in our area.Materials and MethodsBiochemistry, cytology and microbiology studies from 472 consecutive pleural fluid samples were retrospectively analyzed. ADA and differential cell count were determined in all samples. We established three different prevalence periods, based on percentage of pleural effusion cases diagnosed as tuberculosis: 1998–2000 (31.3%), 2001–2004 (11.8%), and 2005–2008 (7.4%). ROC curves, dispersion diagrams and pre/post-test probability graphs were produced. TPE accounted for 73 episodes (mean prevalence: 15.5%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for ADA40 were 89%, 92.7%, 69.2% and 97.9%, respectively. For ADA40+LP50 the specificity and PPV increased (98.3% and 90%) with hardly any decrease in the sensitivity or NPV (86.3% and 97.5%). No relevant differences were observed between the three study periods.Conclusions/SignificanceADA remains useful for the diagnosis of TPE even in low-to-intermediate prevalence scenarios when combined with the lymphocyte proportion.

We report 2 cases of pseudochylothorax and review 172 published cases. Tuberculosis is by far the most frequent cause of pseudochylothorax, accounting for 54% of all caes, with a remarkable association with previous collapse therapy and long-term effusions. The remaining etiologies, including rheumatoid arthritis, are infrequent. Tuberculous pseudochylothorax is usually sterile. Successful treatment of an acute tuberculous pleurisy does not preclude the development of long-term complications such as pseudochylothorax. We do not recommend pleural biopsy initially because of its low yield for etiologic diagnosis. Currently, adenosine deaminase (ADA) values in pleural fluid are not useful to sustain diagnosis or therapeutic decisions. We advise draining only symptomatic cases and treating patients with positive Ziehl-Neelsen stain or Lowenstein culture, and those with growing effusions of suspected tuberculous origin, with antituberculous chemotherapy. Pulmonary decortication should be the last therapeutic step for recurrent and symptomatic cases.

BackgroundKikuchi-Fujimoto's disease (KFD), also called histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is a rare, idiopathic and self-limited condition usually characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy and fever, most often affecting young patients. Aetiology is unknown. Differential diagnosis includes mainly malignant lymphoma, tuberculous lymphadenitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), so early diagnosis is crucial. Pleuropulmonary involvement due to isolated KFD has been seldom reported.Case Presentationa 32-year-old man, on treatment for iatrogenic hypothyroidism, was admitted due to high grade fever and painful cervical lymphadenopathies. KFD was diagnosed by lymph node biopsy. Some days after admission the patient got worse, he developed generalized lymphadenopathy, bilateral pleural effusion and interstitial lung disease. All of them resolved with prednisone and after two years of following up he remains asymptomatic and without evidence of any other associated disease.ConclusionPleural effusion and interstitial lung disease are very uncommon manifestations of KFD. In our experience, treatment with oral prednisone was effective.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a minimally invasive procedure used for the decompression of portal pressure since the early 1990s. Bacteremia with an infection of the TIPS or endotipsitis is a serious complication with 32% mortality. To date and including the present case, only 56 cases have been reported in the literature. There are concerns regarding underdiagnosis. We report a case of a patient with endotipsitis and recurrent bacteremia treated successfully in our institution. In addition, previous reported cases were reviewed regarding microbiological data and mortality. Clinical practice guidelines including uniform disease definition, prophylaxis, and treatment of this nosocomial prosthetic-related infection are urgently needed.

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