SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS AND ASCITES

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Abstract

Objective: To find out the frequency and clinical presentation of
spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in cirrhosis with ascites secondary to hepatitis c infection. Design: Descriptive
study. Place and duration of study: Department of Medicine, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from September 2004 to
February 2005. Patients and methods: Fifty nine subjects with cirrhosis and ascites secondary to hepatitis c infection
were included. Frequency of SBP with its presenting clinical features was determined. Mean ascitic fluid protein level
was compared between SBP and non SBP groups. Child pugh class was determined in SBP subjects. P-value was
calculated by applying test of significance. Results: Out of fifty nine subjects, fourteen were having SBP. Abdominal
pain / tenderness and jaundice were common presenting features in 78.57% and 64.28% of subjects respectively.
Patients were asymptomatic in 7.14%. Mean ascitic fluid protein content was found to be low in SBP as compared to
non SBP patient's 1.41 gm% vs. 2.20 gm%. Conclusion: Because of heterogeneous clinical presentation, ascitic fluid
should be analyzed routinely in all patients admitted in hospital with cirrhosis and ascites.