Expression of YKL-40 and MIP-1a proteins in exudates and transudates: biomarkers for differential diagnosis of pleural effusions? A pilot study

Table 3 Diagnostic performance of (A) YKL-40 serum levels (ng/ml) for the differential diagnosis of Tuberculosis, (B) MIP-1a Serum levels (ng/ml) and (C) MIP-1a Pleural levels (ng/ml) for the differential diagnosis of Lung Cancer, at the optimal cut-off points of the ROC analysis

	Optimal cut off point	Sensitivity (%)	Specificity (%)	+LR	-LR	PPV (%)	NPV (%)	AUC	95 % CIs
A. YKL-40 Serum levels (ng/ml)
TB vs LCa	122.8	90.9	100.0	>20.0	0.09	100.0	85.7	0.857	0.598–1.000
TB vs MCa	118.9	90.9	100.0	>20.0	0.09	100.0	87.5	0.913	0.745–1.000
TB vs PN	113.2	90.9	100.0	>20.0	0.09	100.0	87.5	0.975	0.913–1.000
B. MIP-1a Serum levels (ng/ml)
LCa vs ΤΒ	22.5	100.0	70.0	3.3	>20.0	100.0	30.0	0.850	0.667–1.000
LCa vs MCa	19.8	66.7	100.0	>20.0	0.33	100.0	60.0	0.731	0.488–0.975
LCa vs PN	19.4	80.0	100.0	>20.0	0.20	100.0	75.0	0.875	0.694–1.000
C. MIP-1a Pleural levels (ng/ml)
LCa vs TB	17.0	100.0	60.0	2.5	>20.0	100.0	60.0	0.857	0.676–1.000
LCa vs MCa	3.8	57.1	80.0	2.9	1.9	57.1	80.0	0.679	0.418–0.939
LCa vs PN	8.2	71.4	87.5	5.7	3.1	71.4	87.5	0.839	0.630–1.000

+LR positive likelihood ratio, -LR negative likelihood ratio, PPV positive predictive values, NPV Negative predictive value, AUC Area Under the Curve, 95 % CI 95 % Confidence Intervals

ISSN: 1471-2466