A STUDY ON LEVELS OF CHOLINESTERASE IN PLEURAL FLUIDS OF DIVERSE ETIOLOGIES

Abstract

Introduction: Acetylcholinesterase , also known as true, specific, type I cholinesterase or RBC cholinesterase: It is found in nervous tissue, erythrocytes, lungs, spleen and grey matter. It is decreased in pernicious anaemia and after antimalarial therapy. Methodology: Patients participating in the study were explained about the procedure, technique and complications of pleural fluid aspiration. Pleural fluid aspiration was performed under strict aseptic precautions after analysing the fluid levels by percussion and chest x-rays. In few of the cases, ultrasonography-guided pleural fluid aspiration was performed. Results: The mean values of pleural fluid cholinesterase levels were 806.26 + 516.28 U/L in the transudates group and 3476.11 + 1250.17 U/L in the exudates group. The normal levels of cholinesterase varies between laboratories. The cut-off value is 1/10th of the upper limit of normal level of cholinesterase in the respective laboratory. Conclusion: In this study Light’s criteria had a sensitivity of 91.9% and specificity of 87.3% in comparison to pleural fluid to serum cholinesterase ratio that had a sensitivity of 96.8% and specificity of 95.2%.