bjectives: To describe the epidemiological profile
of metastatic malignant pleural effusion (MPE) in
patients admitted to the surgical wards at a tertiary
hospital in Baghdad, Iraq.
Methodology: The study was single-center, crosssectional, and comprised 90 successive patients who
were hospitalized with MPE.
Results: Out of 90 patients, 60% were females and
the age group 46 – 55 years formed the highest
percentage (33.3%). We found that 97.8% had preexisting malignancy, mainly breast cancer and 85.5%
suffered non-specific generalized symptoms related to
the primary malignancy. All the cases presented with
shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain, and only
3.3% were asymptomatic. Pleurodesis was done in 84
patients and in the majority of them (86.7%)
bleomycin was used. The majority of the pleural fluid
aspirates were exudate according to Light criteria. 40%
patients improved during hospitalization. Better
improvement was observed among unilateral, and
small MPE. Less than one-third of the cases had
recurrent effusion, which was mostly in those with
bilateral and secondary MPE. The survival rate was
relatively good (82%). Around 6% cases were referred
to oncologists.
Conclusion: Although the therapeutic approaches of
MPE were mostly palliative not curative, a substantial
improvement in outcome after the management of
MPE was noted. Parameters that predict favorable
short-term outcomes are unilateral and small pleural
effusions
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Apr-Jun 2023
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