Microspheres present comparable efficacy and safety profiles compared with polyvinyl alcohol for bronchial artery embolization treatment in hemoptysis patients

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety profiles of microspheres versus (vs.) polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for bronchial artery embolization (BAE) treatment in patients with hemoptysis. METHODS: Totally, 152 patients with hemoptysis who were about to receive BAE treatment were consecutively enrolled and divided into microspheres group (N = 62) and PVA group (N = 90). Technical success and clinical success were assessed after BAE procedure, and the hemoptysis-recurrence status, survival status and adverse events were recorded during follow-up. RESULTS: Technical success rates were both 100% in microspheres group and PVA group; clinical success rate (96.8% vs. 100.0%, P = 0.165), 6-month (9.7% vs. 7.8%, P = 0.681) and 1-year (9.7% vs. 8.9%, P = 0.869) hemoptysis recurrence rate, 6-month (4.8% vs. 2.2%, P = 0.374) and 1-year (4.8% vs. 3.3%, P = 0.639) mortality were similar between microspheres group and PVA group. Furthermore, hemoptysis-free survival (P = 0.488) and overall survival (P = 0.321) were of no difference between two groups. In addition, all adverse events were mild, and there was no difference of adverse events between two groups (all P > 0.05). These data were validated by further multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Microspheres present comparable efficacy and safety profiles compared with PVA for the BAE treatment in patients with hemoptysis, providing evidence for embolic agent selection. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-02947-7.