[Clinical efficacy observation of heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with intrapleural perfusion of cisplatin in treatment of malignant pleural effusion].

Objectives: To investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with intrapleural perfusion of cisplatin in comparison with simple intrapleural perfusion of cisplatin on malignant pleural effusion (MPE).

Methods: Forty patients with MPE, in compliance with the inclusion criteria, were randomly divided into an observation group (20 cases) and a control group (20 cases). In the control group, cisplatin solution (60 mg/m²) was injected into the thoracic cavity after pleural drainage under B-ultrasound positioning, once a week for 4 weeks. In the observation group, based on the intervention as the control group, the heat-sensitive moxibustion was delivered at the back and lumbar region (where Feishu ［BL13］, Pishu ［BL20］ and Shenshu ［BL23］ are located) and the chest-abdomen region (where Danzhong ［CV17］, Guanyuan ［CV4］ and Shuidao ［ST28］ are located), for 30 min to 90 min, once daily (the treatment was discontinued on Saturday and Sunday) and for 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, in the two groups, the pleural effusion volume was detected using B ultrasound, the activity of daily living was evaluated with Karnofsky performance statue (KPS) scale and TCM symptoms with TCM syndrome grading scale. The clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated in the two groups. According to the classification criteria table for acute and subacute toxicity of anticancer drugs made by WHO, the toxic and side reaction was judged.

Results: After treatment, the pleural effusion volume was reduced in comparison with that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.001), and the volume in the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). KPS score was increased in the two groups after treatment compared with that before treatment (P<0.001), and the score in the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the total score of TCM syndromes and the scores for dyspnea, cough and chest pain were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.001), and the scores in the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.001, P<0.05). The scores for anorexia and lassitude were reduced in comparison with those before treatment in the observation group (P<0.001)；and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after treatment (P<0.001, P<0.01). After treatment, the effective rate of the observation group was 65.0%(13/20), which was higher than that of the control group (30.0%, 6/20, P<0.05). The incidence of bone marrow suppression in the observation group was 15.0%(3/20), lower than that in the control group (55.0%, 11/20, P<0.05). The incidence of gastrointestinal reactions in the observation group was 30.0%, lower than that in the control group (65.0%, 13/20, P<0.05).

Conclusions: Heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with intrapleural infusion of cisplatin is superior to intrapleural infusion of cisplatin in the aspects of the amelioration of pleural effusion, daily-living activity and TCM syndromes in patients with MPE. This combined therapy presents the synergism by cooperating with chemotherapeutics and reduces the incidence of toxic and side effects implicated in chemotherapy so as to attenuate the toxicity of chemotherapeutics.