Serum - ascites albumin and cholesterol gradients in differential diagnosis of ascites.
Date
2011-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Background: Differential diagnosis of ascites is a common clinical problem. Less expensive biochemical techniques are required to differentiate ascites with unknown etiology. Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of ascitic fluid cholesterol, serum ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) and serum ascites cholesterol gradients (SACG) in differentiating cirrhotic, tuberculous and malignant ascites. Methods: 50 patients (25 with hepatic cirrhosis, 15 with tuberculosis and10 with malignancy) were evaluated for ascitic fluid total protein, albumin, cholesterol, SAAG and SACG. Results: The mean ascitic fluid cholesterol was significantly higher in malignant ascites when compared with cirrhosis and tuberculous ascites (p= 0.0001 each). The difference between tuberculous and cirrhotic ascites was also significant (p= 0.001). The mean value of SAAG was significantly higher in cirrhosis when compared with tuberculous and malignant ascites (p= 0.0001; p= 0.001 respectively) but the difference between tuberculous and malignant ascites was not significant The mean SACG was significantly lower in malignant compared to tuberculous and cirrhotic ascites (p= 0.0001; p= 0.001 respectively). The difference between tuberculous and cirrhotic ascites was not significant. Conclusion: SAAG is a better marker to differentiate cirrhotic ascites from tuberculous and malignant ascites. Ascitic fluid cholesterol and SACG are better markers to differentiate malignant ascites from cirrhotic and tuberculous ascites.
Description
Keywords
Cirrhosis, Ascitic fluid cholesterol, Tuberculous peritonitis, Malignant ascites
Citation
Vyakaranam Sapna, Nori Srinivas, Sastry M Gurumurthy, Vyakaranam Sudhir Bhargav, Bhongir Aparna Varma. Serum - ascites albumin and cholesterol gradients in differential diagnosis of ascites. National Journal of Integrated Research in Medicine. 2011 Jul-Sept; 2(3): 22-28.