Perspective in predicting the effect of pleurodesis in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions.

BACKGROUND Pleurodesis with talc has been used for many years. No objective criteria of inflammatory symptoms are known in order to use them to predict the effect of therapy and selection of patients. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To objectify the course of local inflammatory changes in the pleural cavity, quantify their dynamics in a clinically used procedure, and to determine specific predictors of inflammation as perspective markers of selection of patients suitable for talcage. MATERIAL AND METHOD A total of 114 patients were retrospectively divided into Group A (n1 = 98) of patients without relapse and Group B (n2 = 16) of patients with relapse of exudate. The need for repeated thoracic punctures or drainages over the course of a 12-month monitoring period was the criterion of treatment failure. RESULTS The groups were not different as for the baseline values of sTLR-2 (p₀ = 0.638). Group A showed a marked growth during the monitoring period in 2 hours following talcage (p₂= 0.002) and in 24 hours (p24 = 0.016). Group B showed higher sCD-163 levels (p0 < 0.001). The initial sTREM-1 values and those after two hours were similar in both groups (p0 = 0.146; p2 < 0.0641). In 24 hours, Group A had markedly higher values (p24 < 0.001). CONCLUSION The sTLR-2, sCD-163 and sTREM-1 values can be prospectively determined. High sCD-163 values predict unsuitable selection of a candidate for talcage. The degree of inflammatory response can be evaluated using sTLR-2 or sTREM-1. Talcage using an inserted thoracic drain can be repeated at low levels. The cost of ELISA examination is approximately 18 euros (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 20).