The Impact of Anticoagulation on Indwelling Pleural Catheter Removal due to Pleurodesis in Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusion.

BACKGROUND

A well-recognized therapy to improve the symptoms of patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE), indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) can also achieve spontaneous pleurodesis. Chemical pleurodesis is associated with a significant pro-coagulation and fibrinolytic environment. Hence, anticoagulation could theoretically interfere with this process.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate if anticoagulation can interfere with successful spontaneous pleurodesis in patients treated with IPC.

METHODS

This was a cohort study of all patients with MPE treated with IPC. The primary objective was to determine if anticoagulant use after IPC placement decreased the rate of spontaneous pleurodesis. The secondary objective was to identify other factors associated with spontaneous pleurodesis. We used a Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model and a direct acyclic graph to identify variables associated with time to spontaneous pleurodesis.

RESULTS

Of the included 410 patients, 210 patients (51.2%) achieved pleurodesis and had their IPC removed. We found no association between anticoagulation and likelihood of pleurodesis. Multivariate analyses revealed that prior chemotherapy, ECOG score of 2-4 were associated with unsuccessful pleurodesis, while chemotherapy or radiotherapy after IPC placement remained associated with increased likelihood of spontaneous pleurodesis.

CONCLUSIONS

We failed to demonstrate an association between anticoagulation and pleurodesis. We found that better performance status and chemotherapy or radiotherapy after IPC placement can increase the rate of pleurodesis and catheter removal.