Ann Afr Med. 2025 Apr 14. doi: 10.4103/aam.aam_212_24. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Tuberculosis (TB) is a well-known global health problem with one-fifth of the global burden in India. Although there are diagnostic and prognostic markers for TB, there is lack of specificity and sensitivity of diagnostic methods.
AIMS: The goal of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of blood lymphocyte adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels in pulmonary TB patients.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective observational case-control study. A total of 80 subjects were included in this study and were divided into two groups: 40 people who were healthy in every respect and 40 patients with pulmonary TB. ADA activity was measured in each group by the Giusti and Galanti method using a commercial kit.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed using t-test with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis done to identify the cutoff values for ADA that had maximum sensitivity and specificity.
RESULTS: The mean serum ADA level in the pulmonary TB group was significantly increased as compared to control group (P < 0.0001), whereas blood lymphocyte ADA levels as well as blood lymphocyte/serum ADA ratio in the pulmonary TB group were significantly decreased as compared control group (P < 0.0001). In regard to the cutoff value of <34.06 IU/mg protein in patients with pulmonary TB, sensitivity and specificity were 90.00% and 80.00%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Blood lymphocyte ADA level may be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis of pulmonary TB.
PMID:40229921 | DOI:10.4103/aam.aam_212_24
