New Study to Address Best Practices for Indwelling Pleural Catheter Use, According to Surviving Mesothelioma
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) July 11, 2016 -- Doctors conducting the Protocol of the Australasian Malignant Pleural Effusions-2 (AMPLE-2) trial are hoping to finally be able to settle the debate over how often pleural catheters should be drained. Surviving Mesothelioma has just published an article on the new study. Click here to read it now.
Pleural effusion, or buildup of fluid around the lungs, is a common and life-limiting side effect of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) offer a novel way to deal with the problem, but there are still questions about their optimal usage.
Investigators in Australia and Asia plan to test several different drainage schedules, including daily, weekly and monthly, in mesothelioma patients and others with IPCs to determine the safest, most effective, and most efficient regimen.
“The primary outcome is the mean daily dyspnea [shortness of breath] score, measured by a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) over the first 60 days,” explains lead investigator Dr. Maree Azzopardi of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth.
“This study is poised to answer some questions that are very relevant to many mesothelioma patients who are trusting IPCs to help alleviate the discomfort, fatigue and shortness of breath associated with pleural effusions,” says Alex Strauss, Surviving Mesothelioma’s Managing Editor.
For a more detailed explanation of AMPLE-2 and its potential impact on mesothelioma care, see Mesothelioma Symptoms: Best Management for Pleural Effusion, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.
Azzopardi, M, et al, “Protocol of the Australasian Malignant Pleural Effusion-2 (AMPLE-2) trial: a multicentre randomized study of aggressive versus symptoms-guided drainage via indwelling pleural catheters.”, July 5, 2016, BMJ Open, http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/7/e011480.abstract
For nearly ten years, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions.
Michael Ellis, Cancer Monthy, http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com, +1 (919) 570-8595, [email protected]
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