Prognostic Factors of 30-day Survival of Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusion

Treatment of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) depends on the 1 month prognosis of patients. Until now, there is no study evaluate factors affecting 1 month survival.

This study aims to determine the predictors of survival within 1 month.

Prospective study of 102 patients with MPE. Biochemistry data of pleural fluid, characteristics of tumor, and massiveness of the effusion were analyzed to determine their effect on 30-day survival of the patients. Univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square. All prognostic factors that had P < 0.25 were included in multivariate analysis using Cox regression.

Median age of patients was 51 years, most of them were female (56%). Common primary sites of tumor were lung (31%), breast (19%), and lymphatic tissue (11%). In univariate analysis, factors that have P < 0.25 were low glucose concentration in pleural fluid (P = 0.01), high lactate dehydrogenase concentration in pleural fluid (P = 0.25), and high risk tumor (P = 0.24). In multivariate analysis, only low glucose concentration was significantly related to poor survival within 1 month (hazard ratio 2.85 [1.10-7.61], P = 0.03).

Low level of glucose in pleural fluid is an important factor related to 30-day survival in patients with MPE. It can be used to determine prognosis-based treatment objectively.