Comparison of the Effect of Talc and Povidone Iodine on the Treatment of Malignant Pleural Effusion- case control study

Malignant pleural effusion is usually secondary to a number of malignancies. The goal of the treatment of malignant pleural effusion is decrease the symptoms of the patient with the least invasive tool and the most cost-effective method. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of talc and iodine in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion.

This Retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with malignant pleural effusion, who were treated with Talc and Povidone iodine at Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Qom and had completed a course of treatment. Demographic data and efficacy criteria for malignant pleural effusion including dyspnea, chest pain, fever, and recurrence frequency after chemotherapy were evaluated and data were analyzed by SPSS.21 software.

In this study we have 87 subjects from which 48 (55.2%) were treated with Povidone iodine and 39 (44.8%) were treated with talc. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in terms of sex, age and type of disease in this study (p <0.05). These cases were the same in the two groups. The findings showed that the frequency of relapse, fever, chest pain and dyspnea was significantly lower in the group treated with povidone (p <0.05). In addition, subjects with betadine treated had higher lung Expansion compared to subjects Were treated with talcum (p <0.05).

Chemical pleurodesis with povidone-iodine can be used as an alternative sclerosing affordable, accessible, safe, tolerable and effective mainly for Talc be considered.