TY - JOUR T1 - Patients with malignant pleural effusions who are treated with indwelling pleural catheters spend fewer days in hospital JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 38 IS - Suppl 55 SP - p2830 AU - Edward Fysh AU - A. William Musk AU - Y.C. Gary Lee Y1 - 2011/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2830.abstract N2 - Introduction: Malignant pleural effusions (MPE) are common and reducing hospitalization is a key management goal for these patients. Treatment strategies are changing with the advent of indwelling pleural catheters (IPC), a new ambulatory treatment for patients with MPE. We hypothesized that those patients managed with IPC spend fewer days in hospital than those undergoing talc pleurodesis.Methods: A prospective, non-randomized study involving all three major respiratory centers in Western Australia. Patients diagnosed to have MPE were prospectively followed up until death or to the end of the one year study. In the absence of accepted guidelines for IPC-use, the choice of treatments (pleurodesis, IPC or repeated thoracentesis) was made by the treating clinicians. Hospital admissions were analysed on an intention to treat basis from the time of the first procedure.Results: 160 patients with MPE were recruited. 31 patients were managed with talc pleurodesis, and 34 received an IPC. The remaining patients only required simple thoracentesis, either because of poor prognosis, lack of effusion recurrence, or lack of symptom relief with initial drainage.Total hospital admission days were significantly lower in patients treated with IPC (median, 25-75th percentiles) at 6.5 days (3.75-13.0) compared with pleurodesis at 18.0 days (8.0-26.0), p=0.002 (Mann-Whitney ranked sum test). Effusion-related admissions were even more significantly reduced at 3.0 days (1.75-8.25) against 10 (6.0-18.0), p<0.001.Conclusion: Patients with MPE who are treated with an IPC spend fewer days in hospital compared with pleurodesis. ER -