Efficacy & safety of iodopovidone pleurodesis: a systematic review & meta-analysis.

Background & objectives: Chemical pleurodesis is an accepted therapy for patients with recurrent pleural effusions and pneumothorax. Iodopovidone has been shown to be safe and effective for chemical pleurodesis in several studies. The aim of this systematic review was to update a previously reported meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of iodopovidone pleurodesis. Methods: Two databases MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for a period (1952-2010), and studies that have reported success rates with iodopovidone pleurodesis were selected. The proportions with 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the outcomes in the individual studies and the results were pooled using a random effects model. Results: Thirteen eligible studies with 499 patients were included in the mata-analysis. The success rates varied from 70 to 100 per cent in different studies with the pooled success rate being 88.7 per cent (95% CI, 84.1 to 92.1). The success rate was not affected by the method (tube thoracostomy vs. thoracoscopy, 89.6 vs. 94.2%) or the indication of pleurodesis (pleural effusion vs. pneumothorax, 89.2 vs. 94.9%). The only significant complication reported was chest pain of varying degree. Systemic hypotension was reported in six patients across the studies. There were no deaths associated with iodopovidone pleurodesis. Statistical heterogeneity and publication bias were found. Interpretation & conclusions: Iodopovidone may be considered a safe and effective agent for chemical pleurodesis in patients with pleural effusions and recurrent pneumothoraces.

Effectiveness and safety of outpatient pleurodesis in patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusion and low performance status

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of pleurodesis carried out entirely on an outpatient basis in patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusions and Karnofsky Performance Status scores <70. METHODS: This study was a prospective trial comprising patients with symptomatic recurrent malignant pleural effusion and Karnofsky Performance Status scores <70 but >30. All selected patients underwent pleural catheter placement (14 Fr) in an outpatient facility. When chest radiography revealed post-drainage lung expansion of >90 percent, pleurodesis (3 g of talc) was performed. Catheters were maintained until the daily output was ,100 mL/day. The patients were evaluated in the first month and every three months thereafter for fluid recurrence, the need for additional procedures, and complications. RESULTS: During the study period (January 2005 to July 2007), 64 patients (24 men, 40 women), with an average age of 61.4 years, underwent elective chest tube drainage. Primary sites of the underlying malignancy were breast (27), lung (22), and others (15). Sixty-six pleural catheters were placed (bilaterally in 2 patients), and 52 talc pleurodesis procedures were performed. Fourteen patients had a trapped lung and were excluded from the trial. No complications were observed during catheter placement or pleurodesis. Post-pleurodesis complications included catheter obstruction (4 patients) and empyema (1). The average drainage time was 9.9 days. The recurrence rate observed in patients that were alive 30 days after pleurodesis was 13.9 percent (5/36 patients). Six patients required additional procedures after the pleurodesis. The average survival time was 101 days. CONCLUSION: In this study, talc pleurodesis was safely performed in an outpatient setting with good efficacy and a reasonable complication rate, thereby avoiding hospital admission.

Pleurodese nos derrames pleurais malignos: um inquérito entre médicos em países da América do Sul e Central / Pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusions: a survey of physicians in South and Central America

OBJETIVO: A pleurodese é uma alternativa eficaz no controle dos derrames pleurais malignos, mas existem controvérsias a respeito de sua indicação e técnica. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar como é realizada a pleurodese em países da América do Sul e Central. MÉTODOS: Profissionais que realizam pleurodese responderam um questionário sobre critérios de indicação para pleurodese, técnicas utilizadas e desfechos. RESULTADOS: Nossa amostra envolveu 147 profissionais no Brasil, 49 em outros países da América do Sul e 36 em países da América Central. Mais de 50 por cento dos participantes realizavam pleurodese somente se confirmada a malignidade no derrame pleural. Entretanto, escalas de dispneia e de status de performance eram raramente utilizadas para indicar o procedimento. Aproximadamente 75 por cento dos participantes no Brasil e na América Central preferiam realizar a pleurodese somente no caso de recidiva do derrame, e a expansão pulmonar deveria variar de 90 por cento a 100 por cento. O talco slurry foi o agente mais utilizado, instilado via drenos de calibre intermediário. A toracoscopia foi realizada em menos de 25 por cento dos casos. Febre e dor torácica foram os efeitos adversos mais comuns, e empiema ocorreu em < 14 por cento dos casos. A média de sobrevida após o procedimento variou entre 6 e 12 meses. CONCLUSÕES: Há variações consideráveis quanto aos critérios de indicação para pleurodese, técnicas utilizadas e desfechos entre os países. Talco slurry é o agente mais frequentemente utilizado, e a toracoscopia é a primeira escolha no Brasil. Os baixos índices de complicações e o tempo de sobrevida elevado indicam que a pleurodese é efetiva e causa poucos efeitos adversos.

OBJECTIVE: Pleurodesis is an effective alternative for the control of malignant pleural effusions. However, there is as yet no consensus regarding the indications for the procedure and the techniques employed therein. The objective of this study was to evaluate how pleurodesis is performed in South and Central America. METHODS: Professionals who perform pleurodesis completed a questionnaire regarding the indications for the procedure, the techniques used therein, and the outcomes obtained. RESULTS: Our sample comprised 147 respondents in Brazil, 49 in other South American countries, and 36 in Central America. More than 50 percent of the respondents reported performing pleurodesis only if pleural malignancy had been confirmed. However, scores on dyspnea and performance status scales were rarely used as indications for the procedure. Nearly 75 percent of the respondents in Brazil and in Central America preferred to perform pleurodesis only for recurrent effusions and stated that lung expansion should be 90-100 percent. Talc slurry, instilled via medium-sized chest tubes, was the agent most often employed. Thoracoscopy was performed in less than 25 percent of cases. Fever and chest pain were the most common side effects, and empyema occurred in < 14 percent of cases. The mean survival time after the procedure was most often reported to be 6-12 months. CONCLUSIONS: There was considerable variation among the countries evaluated in terms of the indications for pleurodesis, techniques used, and outcomes. Talc slurry is the agent most commonly used, and thoracoscopy is the technique of choice in Brazil. Pleurodesis is an effective procedure that has few side effects, as evidenced by the low complication rates and high survival times.

Autologous blood pleurodesis: a good choice in patients with persistent air leak

The study compares the efficiency, side effects and complications of autologous blood pleurodesis with talcum powder and tetracycline. This prospective study evaluated 50 patients with persistent air leak resulting from primary and secssondary spontaneous pneumothorax between February 2004 and March 2009. The patients inclussded 32 [64.0%] males and 18 [36.0%] females with a median age of 39 years [range 14-69 years]. All cases had persistent air leak of more than seven days. Pleurodesis was performed using autologous blood in 20 [40.0%] patients, talc powder in 19 [38.0%] patients and tetracycline in 11 [22.0%] patients through a chest tube. Air leak cessation times after pleurodesis, side effects and pulmonary function tests [PFT] in the first and third months were measured. Recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax was the cause of persistent air leak in all cases. Air leaks were expiratory only in 54.0% of cases. We obtained a success rate of 75.0% using autologous blood, 84.2% using talc powder and 63.6% using tetracycline. Mean air leak termination interval was significantly [P < 0.001] shorter in patients treated with autologous blood in comparison to talc powder and tetracycline. We observed a significant [P < 0.05] decline in PFT in patients treated with talc powder compared with tetracycline and autologous blood. Vital capacity, FVC and FEV1 were significantly lower in patients treated with tetracycline compared with autologous blood. This study shows that autologous blood pleurodesis compared to talc powder and tetracycline is related with shorter leak cessation time and less pulmonary function decline in patients with persistent air leak. We think further randomized clinical trials of pleurodesis as treatment could increase its use in thorax surgery by demonstrating the safety and the efficacy of this procedure

Inflammation and clinical repercussions of pleurodesis induced by intrapleural talc administration

Although reports on pleurodesis date back to the beginning of the 20th century, the search for the ideal sclerosing agent is ongoing. Several agents have been studied and used, but talc continues to be the most popular. However, potentially harmful systemic side effects have been associated with talc pleurodesis. In this article we discuss the likely mechanisms of pleural inflammation and pleurodesis with emphasis on the systemic response due to the instillation of talc into the pleural space.

Apesar dos relatos sobre pleurodese remontarem ao início do século XX, ainda hoje se busca o agente esclerosante ideal. Diversos agentes foram estudados e utilizados, mas o talco é considerado o mais popular. No entanto, efeitos sistêmicos potencialmente tóxicos tem sido associados à pleurodese pelo talco. Neste artigo discutimos os prováveis mecanismos de inflamação pleural e pleurodese, com ênfase na resposta sistêmica produzida pela instilação intrapleural de talco.

Avaliação dos efeitos pulmonares e sistêmicos agudos em resposta à injeção intrapleural de talco de diferentes tamanhos de partículas / Pulmonary and systemic response following intrapleural instillation of talc with different particle size

Pacientes com comprometimento pleural por neoplasias malignas freqüentemente apresentam derrame pleural recidivante. Nestes casos, a sínfise das membranas pleurais (pleurodese) com a finalidade de evitar o acúmulo de líquido no espaço pleural deve ser considerada. O talco é o agente mais utilizado indicado para essa finalidade. Entretanto, seu uso terapêutico continua controverso devido aos efeitos deletérios que podem advir de sua utilização. O mais grave entre todos é a insuficiência respiratória aguda, que pode evoluir para a síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo (SDRA). Essa complicação pode estar relacionada com a composição, com o tamanho das partículas de talco e com a resposta inflamatória desencadeada pelas mesmas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos pulmonares e sistêmicos em resposta à injeção intrapleural (IIP) de talco de partículas pequenas (TP) e de partículas de tamanhos diversos (TM). Cem coelhos foram submetidos à IIP com talco. Metade dos animais foi injetada com TP (diâmetro médio= 6,41 mm) e outra metade com TM (diâmetro médio= 21,15 mm), que é o talco usado na prática clínica. Quinze coelhos compuseram o grupo controle. Foram avaliados a celularidade, os níveis de desidrogenase lática (DHL), proteína C reativa (PCR), interleucina-8 (IL-8) e fator de crescimento endotelial vascular (VEGF) no sangue e no lavado broncoalveolar (LBA) às 6, 24, 48, 72 e 96 horas após a IIP. Realizou-se também a quantificação de partículas de talco e a análise histológica dos pulmões. Utilizamos o teste t e Anova na análise estatística, considerando p< 0,05 como significância estatística. A maioria dos parâmetros avaliados apresentou níveis mais elevados no sangue e no LBA dos animais injetados com TP ou TM quando comparados ao grupo controle, sugerindo uma resposta sistêmica e pulmonar à IIP de talco. Com relação aos grupos de talco, os níveis de PCR e de IL-8 apresentaram-se mais elevados no sangue e no LBA dos animais injetados...

Talc has been the pleurodesis agent of choice for the local treatment of recurrent pleural diseases. However, serious concerns exist about its safety. The acute respiratory failure is considered its most serious complication. The physiopathologic mechanisms involved are still unclear. It has been attributed to the systemic dissemination of small talc particles, to the composition of talc and to the inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the systemic and pulmonary response following intrapleural instillation of small particles talc (ST) and mixed particles talc (MT). One hundred rabbits received intrapleural instillation of talc as follows: fifty rabbits were instilled with ST (mean diameter=6,41 microns), and 50 rabbits with MT (mean diameter= 21,15 microns). As control (without talc instillation) were used 15 animals. We studied the pulmonary and systemic inflammatory response (total cell count and differential, levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LD), C-reactive protein (PCR), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Histologic analysis of both lungs and quantitation of talc particles were done at 6, 24, 48, 72 and 96h. ST group showed higher pulmonary and systemic inflammatory response than did the MT group. PCR and IL-8 concentrations were higher in serum and BAL of ST group than the MT group. Many talc particles were observed in the pulmonary tissue of both talc groups, but without statistical significance. We also observed a predominance of cellular infiltrates (lymphomononuclear cells) in the lungs of ST group. The pulmonary inflammatory response (increased IL-8 in BAL) was earlier (24h) than the systemic inflammatory response (48 h). These observations suggest that the main organ in the systemic inflammatory acute response is lung. So, we recommend the clinical use of mixed talc without small particles to induce safety pleurodesis.

Oil massage in neonates: an open randomized controlled study of coconut versus mineral oil.

INTRODUCTION: Oil massage for newborns is reported to improve weight gain by better thermoregulation. A role for transcutaneous absorption has also been suggested. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to compare the effect of massage with coconut oil versus mineral oil and placebo (powder) on growth velocity and neuro-behavior in well term and preterm babies. STUDY DESIGN: Open Randomized Controlled trial. SETTING: The Premature unit and the postnatal wards of a major teaching hospital in a metropolitan city. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Intramural preterm appropriate for gestational age babies weighing between 1500 to 2000 grams and term births weighing more than 2500 grams fulfilling the inclusion criteria constituted the two gestation age categories studied. Babies in each group were randomized to receive massage with either coconut oil, mineral oil or with placebo. Oil massage was given by a trained person from day 2 of life till discharge, and thereafter by the mother until 31 days of age, four times a day. Babies were followed up daily till discharge and every week after discharge for anthropometry. Neuro-behavioral outcome was assessed by the Brazelton Score at baseline, day 7 and on day 31. RESULTS: Coconut oil massage resulted in significantly greater weight gain velocity as compared to mineral oil and placebo in the preterm babies group; and in the term baby group, as compared to the placebo. Preterm infants receiving coconut oil massage also showed a greater length gain velocity compared to placebo group. No statistically significant difference was observed in the neurobehavioral assessment between all three subgroups in term babies as well as in preterm babies.

Pleurodese: perspectivas futuras / Pleurodesis: future prospects

Apesar de estarmos completando praticamente um século desde a realização da primeira pleurodese, a metodologia não está consensualmente definida. A tendência atual de executarmos procedimentos minimamente invasivos estimulou novas pesquisas com o objetivo de reduzir a agressão, incluindo o uso de novas substâncias, a colocação de drenos mais finos e a redução ou abolição da necessidade de internação hospitalar. Dentre as drogas esclerosantes, o talco tem a preferência mundial. Entretanto, o possível desenvolvimento da síndrome da angústia respiratória, por vezes fatal, fez renascer o interesse por outras drogas. Os quimioterápicos não têm evidente efeito esclerosante e originam importantes efeitos colaterais. Os agentes irritantes hidróxido de sódio e nitrato de prata produzem pleurodese efetiva. Ambos podem ser utilizados em seres humanos

Effectiveness of silver nitrate compared to talc slurry as pleural sclerosing agent in rabbits: influence of concomitant intrapleural lidocaine

The ideal agent for producing pleurodesis has not been identified. Talc, the most commonly used, poses several problems. Another possibility is silver nitrate, which was widely used in the past. PURPOSE: To determine the influence of the intrapleural instillation of lidocaine in producing a pleurodesis with silver nitrate, to define the effect of lidocaine in the maturation of the collagen fibers, and to confirm that the pleurodesis after silver nitrate is stronger than after talc. METHODS: We studied three groups of 8 rabbits. Two groups received 0.5 percent silver nitrate; in one we had previously injected 0.5 ml of 2 percent lidocaine. The third group received 400 mg/kg talc (2 ml). The animals were sacrificed 28 days after the injection, and the pleural spaces were assessed grossly for evidence of pleurodesis and microscopically for evidence of inflammation and fibrosis. The total amount of pleural collagen and the distribution of thick and thin collagen fibers were quantified. Collagen was identified using picrosirius red stain. RESULTS: In the two groups that received silver nitrate (without lidocaine: 3.5 + 03 and with lidocaine: 3.2 + 0.3), the macroscopic pleurodesis (scale 0 3/4 4) was significantly (p = 0.001) better than that resulting from talc (1.6 + 0.2). The mean degree of pleural fibrosis induced by silver nitrate (3.5 + 0.2) was significantly (p = 0.004) higher than that induced by talc (1.9 + 0.1). The previous instillation of lidocaine resulted in a tendency for decreased amounts of fibrosis (3.1 + 0.4). The mean amount (10(3)mm2) of pleural collagen was significantly (p = 0.009) greater in the rabbits that received silver nitrate (116.9 + 22.7) than in those that received talc (10.7 + 3.4). The injection of lidocaine slightly reduced the collagen (80.1 + 30.3). The distribution of collagen fibers did not differ among the groups. CONCLUSION: This rabbit model clearly confirms that intrapleural silver nitrate is more effective than talc for producing pleurodesis. The previous intrapleural instillation of lidocaine results in a decreasing trend in the amount of collagen, but does not change the effectiveness of the pleural fusion or modify the process of collagen maturation.