The metabolic behaviour of the lymphocytes from serous effusions in various benign internal diseases

The functional status of the lymphocytes from pleural or peritoneal effusions occurring in 148 patients with various internal diseases such as tuberculosis, liver cirrhosis, heart failure and pneumonias was studied by laboratory investigations including morphologic examination, cytoenzymatic, cytochemical and biochemical tests for determining the scores of acid phosphatase activity and of endolymphocytic glycogen, as well as the presence of nucleolar RNA. These values were found increased in the fluids from tb patients and in some cases of liver cirrhosis, heart failure and metapneumonic pleurisies. The variations of these parameters are assumed to provide information on the metabolic behaviour of the lymphocytes present in these fluids and on their participation to the immune, inflammatory processes which occur in the course of some of the diseases investigated.