The effect of iodopovidone versus bleomycin in chemical pleurodesis

Background Malignant pleural effusion continues to be a common problem in patients with metastatic disease. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of bleomycin pleurodesis with povidone-iodine pleurodesis through a chest drain as palliative treatment for recurrent malignant pleural effusion. Methods Sixty cancer patients (36 males and 24 females) with recurrent malignant pleural effusion were enrolled in a prospective randomized trial. Thirty patients received povidone-iodine pleurodesis and 30 received bleomycin pleurodesis. Age, sex, side of the primary pathology, treatment outcome (recurrence and relapse time), and complications were analyzed. Results The mean age was 59.63 ± 7.68 years in the povidone-iodine group and 57.97 ± 9.27 years in the bleomycin group ( p = 0.452). The complications were identical in both groups: 2 (6.7%) patients had chest pain, 2 (6.7%) had fever, and one (3.3%) had hypotension. There was a good response to therapy in 20 (66.7%) patients in the bleomycin group and 25 (83.3%) in the povidone-iodine group ( p = 0.136). Conclusion The results of this study indicate that povidone-iodine should be considered as a selective chemical agent to perform pleurodesis in patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusion because it has the same effect but costs less than bleomycin.