Search

The levels of soluble IL-2R were measured in pleural fluid from patients with tuberculosis pleurisy. There were significantly elevated soluble IL-2R values in tuberculous pleural fluid as compared with pleural fluid of nontuberculous etiology including malignant, bacterial and transudative pleural effusions. In patients with tuberculous pleurisy, the level of soluble IL-2R in pleural fluid was markedly greater than that in serum. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between soluble IL-2R levels and adenosine deaminase levels in tuberculous pleural fluid. These findings suggest that elevated levels of pleural fluid soluble IL-2R in tuberculous pleurisy could reflect the local proliferation of activated T-cells and may be clinically useful in the diagnostic procedures for patients with pleural tuberculosis.

Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) were measured in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, nontuberculous pulmonary diseases (bacterial pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infection, lung cancer), and in normal volunteers. Patients with tuberculosis had increased levels of soluble IL-2R compared to normal controls. Abnormally elevated levels were also shown in patients with nontuberculous pulmonary diseases, suggesting that elevations of soluble IL-2R are not specific for tuberculosis. In patients with tuberculosis, elevated levels of soluble IL-2R were steadily decreased to normal levels during successful treatment. Additionally, soluble IL-2R levels in tuberculosis were closely correlated with adenosine deaminase levels. Thus, it seems possible that measurements of soluble IL-2R may be beneficial in the diagnosis and the management of patients with tuberculosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that elevated levels of soluble IL-2R in tuberculosis appear to be a consequence of cellular activation of mononuclear cells and not to be the result of cell death with subsequent IL-2R release.