As shown in Fig 1A, 1B and 1C, the median levels of TNF-α, MMP-1, MMP-9, in pleural fluids from patients with TBP were significantly higher than in those with CHF (TNF-α: 77.4 vs. 4.2 pg/ml, p<0.001; MMP-1: 4.4 vs. 0.1 ng/ml, p<0.001; MMP-9: 1.1 vs. 0.2 ng/ml, p<0.001), respectively. Here, MMP9 is linked to congestive heart failure.