Survival time of patients with pleural metastatic carcinoma predicted by glucose and pH studies.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the survival time of patients with pleural metastatic carcinoma diagnosed by thoracoscopy, as related to the pleural glucose and pH levels, and to the extension of pleural neoplastic lesions.


METHODS
Cohort analytic prospective study. Follow-up of the patients from diagnostic thoracoscopy to death (range: one to 29 months).


METHODS
Referral Pneumology Service at a Tertiary Care Center.


METHODS
Consecutive sample of 50 patients with pleural metastatic carcinoma diagnosed by thoracoscopy. Three patients were lost in the follow-up.


METHODS
Talc pleurodesis was performed after diagnosis and with the same technique in every case.


RESULTS
In all the cases, the extension of the tumorous lesions was determined by thoracoscopy (classified on a scale from 0 to 9) and the survival time was studied from the time that thoracoscopic diagnosis was made. On the same or the previous day as the exploration, blood and pleural fluid glucose levels as well as arterial and pleural pH and gas tensions were determined.
Rodriguez-Panadero
F
F
Pneumology Service, Virgen del Rocio Hospital, Seville, Spain.
Lopez-Mejias
J
J
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D005947:Glucose