Active clinical trials for "Tuberculosis, Pleural"

Tuberculous pleuritis (TBP) is the most common manifestation of extrapulmonary TB. Its diagnosis is challenging due to the low sensitivity of mycobacterial culture from the pleural fluid and the need for invasive pleural biopsy. Preliminary data has shown the superior sensitivity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell-free DNA (MTB cfDNA) to conventional culture and MTB polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but the cutoff level of MTB cfDNA was not determined. This study involves a prospective collection of pleural fluid due to TBP and non-TBP aetiologies, with subsequent testing by MTB culture, MTB cfDNA and MTB PCR. The levels of MTB cfDNA in the pleural fluid will be correlated with different types of diagnosis, and its diagnostic accuracy will be compared with conventional culture and MTB PCR. A confirmatory study result of MTB cfDNA can shorten the time to diagnosis, reduce the need for pleural biopsy and prevent the delay of definitive treatment.

Primary Endpoint To assess the prevalence and diagnostic performance of pre-determined echographic features in predicting the diagnosis of TBE from MPE. To determine the clinical, pleural fluid and echographic parameters that were different among TBE and MPE and to establish a clinical prediction model for TBE. Secondary Endpoint To assess the correlation between pleural fluid parameters with ultrasound and medical thoracoscopic finding. To assess the optimal Pf ADA cut-off value to differentiate TBE from MPE in our region.

Tuberculous pleurisy is associated with inflammation and fibrosis. Adjunctive corticosteroids are used for tuberculous pleurisy because their anti-inflammatory effect is thought to minimise pleural reactivity and thereby reduce residual pleural thickening. The purpose is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral prednisolone for treatment of adult patients with tuberculous pleurisy.

Tuberculous (TB) pleurisy can cause clinical symptoms and pleural fibrosis with resultant residual pleural thickening (RPT). Therapeutic thoracentesis or initial complete drainage in addition to anti-TB drugs have been tried to rapidly relieve dyspnea caused by effusion and to decrease the occurrence of RPT. However, contradictory results are reported without clear reasons. The researchers' hypothesis is that, in addition to anti-TB medications, early effective evacuation of inflammatory exudates with or without fibrinolytic agents may hasten resolution of pleural effusion, reduce the occurrence of RPT and finally improve long-term functional outcome in patients with TB pleurisy.

The purpose of this study is to determine the diagnostic utility of the device 'Electronic Nose' for Pleural TB, which is a Extra pulmonary TB form, compared with pleural biopsy, the current gold standard.

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is known to be a fibrogenic cytokine, it could be expressed in various fibrosis diseases. But, recent research showed that CTGF also be considered to be a tumor suppressive gene. The expression of CTGF protein is higher in normal Type I and II alveolar epithelial cells than metastatic tumor cells. CTGF appears to be a suppressor of lung tumor invasion and in metastasis and the decreased CTGF expression in tumor tissues was associated with advanced tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, early postoperative relapse and shorter patient survival. CTGF can be expressed in many human organs such as heart, brain, placenta, liver, muscle, kidney, peritoneal mesothelial cells and lung but did not known in the pleura. The CTGF protein is present in the peritoneal cavity and is increased during peritonitis. Considering pleural cavity comes from the same origin of mesenchyma with peritoneum, pericardium and fallopian tube, we aim to evaluate whether the CTGF expression increase in the pleurisy patients including the parapneumonic effusion and the TB pleurisy. The diagnosis of TB pleurisy depends on the effusion TB culture and pleural biopsy. Unfortunately the sensitivity of TB culture was only 20-30%. So most patients must receive invasive pleural biopsy. Adenosine deaminase(ADA) was developed as a screening test but should not be considered an alternative test to culture and biopsy. The sensitivity of ADA might vary from 32%-100% and the cutoff value also vary from 26 to 70 IU/L. We should develop a method to alternate the culture and biopsy . Therefore, our technologist Jao-Jia chu will develop the CTGF ELISA kit for this specific aim. If CGTF might increase expression in pleuritis but decrease in pleural metastasis, it might be a potential method help to differentiate lymphocytic pleural effusion between TB pleurisy and malignancy.

To investigate the difference of PE inflammation/apoptosis-associated markers between TB pleurisy and non-TB pleurisy To investigate the difference of neutrophil apoptosis in exudative PE between TB pleurisy and non-TB pleurisy To investigate the change of apoptosis pattern of PE neutrophil, before and after TB antigen stimulation, and compare the difference between TB pleurisy and non-TB pleurisy To investigate diagnostic aid of the inflammation/apoptosis-associated markers and apoptosis pattern of PE neutrophil for tuberculous pleurisy