Comparison of hormone transfer to pleural and synovial exudates.

Objectives: Local effects of hormones on immune and connective tissues could play some role in the development of local inflammation processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of selected hormones in pleural exudates of patients with pleurisy and lung tumours, and compare these levels with hormone concentration in knee synovial fluid.

Subjects And Methods: Eleven patients with pleural exudate (mean age 62+/-3) and l9 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis (of the same mean age) participated in the observations.