Diagnostic Performance of Pleural Fluid Adenosine Deaminase for Tuberculous Pleural Effusion in a Low-Incidence Setting

Abstract

The challenges associated with diagnosing tuberculous pleural effusion have led to the use of pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (pfADA) as a biomarker for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This study retrospectively reviewed the diagnostic performance of pfADA, the pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase (LD)/ADA ratio, and combinations of these two parameters in 1,637 episodes of pleural effusion in the low-tuberculosis (TB)-incidence setting of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, from between March 2008 and November 2014. </jats:p