Background: This study was done to investigate the course of serum adenosine deaminase (sADA) level during pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and its relationship with clinical, radiological, and laboratory parameters in TB patients.
Material/Methods: sADA levels were measured at the beginning and after the fi rst, second, and sixth months in 38 smear-positive TB patients. Chest X-rays were taken. Additionally, peripheral blood leukocyte and lymphocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C reactive protein (CRP) levels were
measured. Fifteen healthy persons were enrolled in the study as controls.
Results: The level of sADA at the beginning was 33.2±13.9 U/l in the patients and 19.0±7.1 U/l in controls. The specifi city and sensitivity were found to be 100% and 42%, respectively. The level of
sADA showed elevation (45.1±10.6 U/l) after one month and gradually decreased in the second(34.6±10.1 U/l) and sixth months (24.6±4.7 U/l). ANOVA (post hoc Bonferroni) showed a significant difference in sADA levels between the beginning and the fi rst month (p=0.005), the fi rst and second months (p=0.016), and between the fi rst month and the end of treatment (p

Keywords: Adenosine Deaminase - blood, Blood Sedimentation, C-Reactive Protein - biosynthesis, Leukocytes - cytology, Lymphocyte Activation, Lymphocytes - cytology, Prospective Studies, Radiography, Thoracic - methods, Time Factors, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - radiography