Malignant Pleural Effusion: The Importance of pH as Prognostic Marker. A 2-Year Review

Bruno Mendes, Alexandra Mineiro and João Cardoso

Santa Marta Hospital - CHULC - Central Lisbon University Hospital Center, Portugal

^*Correspondance to: Bruno de Aguiar Mendes 

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Abstract:

Malignant Pleural Effusion (MPE) is a sign of advance disease in patients with cancer. The management of these patients could present as a challenge. It is crucial to identify patients with poor prognosis and offer them alternatives to pleurodesis (a discomfort procedure that may lead to hospitalization). Although several studies have been conducted to access the accuracy of pH as prognostic factor in MPE, its use is not validated by international guidelines. A retrospective analysis of the electronic medical records of all patients with MPE that underwent first thoracentesis in our department between June 2016 and June 2018 was done. The primary endpoint was to access the relation between pH of MPE and survival. 62 patients were included in this study. PH mean was 7.32. Median survival in months for Group A, defined as pH less than the mean, was 1.9 months [1.3-4.9] and for Group B, defined as pH equal or superior to the mean was 4.3 [2.5-13] (p=0.006). We found an existence relation between pH inferior to 7.32 and lower median survival. The association between low pH and survival could be explained as tumors in advanced stage of disease may provoke the accumulation of end products of glycolysis in the pleural space.

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Cite the Article:

Mendes B, Mineiro A, Cardoso J. Malignant Pleural Effusion: The mportance of pH as Prognostic Marker. A 2-Year Review. Clin Oncol. 2022;7:1949..