Premium
Diagnostic value of ferritin in malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions
Author(s) -
Yin Amos,
Konijn Abraham M,
Link Gabriela,
Moreb Jan,
Hershko Chaim
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19881215)62:12<2564::aid-cncr2820621219>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - medicine , ferritin , peritoneal effusion , value (mathematics) , pleural effusion , pathology , radiology , effusion , surgery , machine learning , computer science
The diagnostic usefulness of ferritin measurements in pleural and peritoneal effusions has been evaluated in 57 patients. Mean (± standard error [SE]) ferritin levels were 291 × 50 ng/ml in 24 patients with noninflammatory transudates (Group I), 942 × 253 in 15 patients with nonmalignant exudates (Group II), and 1805 × 257 in 18 patients with malignant exudates (Group III). The mean (± SE) ratio of effusion/serum ferritin in Groups I, II, and III was 0.7 × 0.1, 2.7 × 0.7, and 5.7 × 1.2, respectively. The specificity and predictive value of a ferritin ratio in excess of 1.5 in distinguishing transudates from all exudates and in distinguishing transudates from malignant exudates were both very high (94% to 96%). In the lower range of values considerable overlap existed between ferritin ratios obtained in patients with benign versus malignant inflammatory exudates. However, very high ferritin levels (>3000 ng/ml) and ferritin ratios (>20:1) were only encountered in malignant exudates. These results indicate that the measurement of ferritin levels and ferritin ratios may be a useful aid in the diagnosis of malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions.