[Glycoproteins of pleural effusions (author's transl)].

Using single radial immunodiffusion, ten glycoproteins from non purulent pleural fluids have been estimated in different diseases. For five proteins (prealbumin, ceruloplasmin, alpha2HS-glycoprotein, transferrin, beta2-glycoprotein 1) the results have been found not to correlate with the causal disease. However for orosomucoid, alpha1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, alpha2-macroglobulin and hemopexin, there was good correlation between proteins levels and aetiology. The glycoprotein concentration was low in mechanical effusions from cirrhosis and chronic cardiac failure. It was high in inflammatory, post-embolism and particularly neoplastic effusions. A raised orosomucoid level occurred as the most characteristic of cancer states especially when associated with a parallel increase of the four other glycoproteins. A simultaneously elevated level of these five pleural glycoproteins seems to be a good and significant biological sign for neoplastic effusion diagnosis.