RSS Feeds
Rheumatoid Factor in Nonrheumatoid Pleural Effusions
- HAROLD LEVINE, M.D.;
- MARTIN SZANTO, M.D.;
- HANS G. GRIEBLE, M.D.;
- GERHARD L. BACH, M.D.; and
- TRUMAN O. ANDERSON, M.D., PH.D.
- Requests for reprints should be addressed to Truman O. Anderson, M.D., Chief, Clinical Immunology Section, Hektoen Institute for Medical Research of the Cook County Hospital, 627 S. Wood St., Chicago, Ill. 60612.
SUMMARY
Among 65 consecutive patients with serous nonrheumatoid pleural effusions, the pleural fluid contained rheumatoid factor (RF) or rheumatoid factor-like activity at a titer of ≧ 1:160 in 41% of patients with bacterial pneumonia, 20% of patients with carcinoma, and 14% of patients with tuberculosis. From 6% to 15% of patients with these diseases showed RF in the pleural fluid to titers of 1:1280.
The occurrence of this antibody in pleural fluid cannot be considered specifically related to rheumatoid disease.
Article and Author Information
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From the Department of Thoracic Medicine and Section of Clinical Immunology, the Hektoen Institute for Medical Research, Cook County Hospital; and the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois; Chicago, Ill.
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- Received March 14, 1968.
- Accepted May 3, 1968.
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