Quinacrine-induced pleural inflammation in malignant pleurisy: relation between drainage time of pleural fluid and local interleukin-1 beta levels.

In this study, the levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were measured in pleural fluid from patients with chronic malignant pleural effusions, before and during quinacrine-induced pleurodesis. IL-1 beta levels increased significantly within 24 h after the instillation of quinacrine (p < 0.001). The levels of IL-1 beta correlated with the amount of pleural fluid production as well as with the tube drainage treatment time. Thus, the more IL-1 beta levels increased the higher pleural fluid production was seen and a longer drainage treatment time was needed. There were no correlations between IL-1 beta levels and degree of fever, recruitment of pleural leucocytes, activity of pleural coagulation or inhibition of pleural fibrinolysis.