Subject(s)
Pleural Effusion, Malignant/pathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Skin Neoplasms/pathologyABSTRACT
Obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) seems to be a clinical subset of classical APS, for which the search for new markers is still challenging. Soluble CD146 (sCD146) constitutes a circulating endothelial biomarker. sCD146 is involved in the inflammatory response by promoting monocyte transmigration and displays chemotactic and angiogenic properties on endothelial cells. Its detection in human sera reveals physiological variations related to age and sex. A wide variation of sCD146 has been reported in several conditions. In particular, sCD146 levels are significantly higher in women presenting a history of recurrent fetal losses.
Subject(s)
Antiphospholipid Syndrome/blood , Pregnancy Complications/blood , Biomarkers/blood , CD146 Antigen/blood , Female , Humans , PregnancyABSTRACT
The diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma relies mostly on the pathological examination of pleural samples, validated by a panel of experts and generally obtained during medical or surgical thoracoscopy performed for the management of an exudative pleural effusion. In the absence of pleural effusion (dry-type mesothelioma), the diagnostic approach depends on the features of the lesions (pleural thickness, nodules and/or masses) and their pleural location. Ultrasound and CT-guided needle aspiration represent recognized alternative diagnostic techniques in these situations. We present the case of a patient, presenting a dry-type mesothelioma, whose diagnosis was obtained by endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided needle aspiration of a pleural mediastinal mass and confirmed by a CT-guided needle aspiration of another pleural mass in close contact with the chest wall. The samples have been compared and show quantitative and qualitative similarities. EBUS represents a minimally invasive alternative diagnostic technique for dry-type mesothelioma, showing thickness of the mediastinal pleura in contact with a central airway or when thoracoscopy, which remains the "gold standard" diagnostic approach, is not feasible.