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Query: UMLS:C0341503 (bacterial peritonitis)
 1,303 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Chemical analysis of ascitic fluid may be helpful in determining the underlying disease. We discuss the diagnostic accuracy of the common and newer chemical parameters (protein, LDH, lactate, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, fibronectin, albumin gradient [value of serum minus value of ascites], ferritin, tumor markers, immunomodulators, leukocytes, bacterial and cytologic examinations). We also review the pathogenesis and clinical findings of the most frequent ascites forms (benign hepatic, infective, malignant ascites, ascites associated with liver metastases or hepatocellular carcinoma, cardiac and pancreatic ascites) and the most important diagnosis criteria. In the malignant ascites a high cholesterol, a narrow albumin gradient or a high ferritin value have high diagnostic accuracy, but diagnosis is by the finding of malignant cells. For the diagnosis of infective ascites, bacteriology is mandatory even though the results are negative in most cases, particularly in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis where diagnosis has to be established clinically, by a low pH or by a high leukocyte count. Benign hepatic ascites is diagnosed by demonstrating an underlying chronic liver disease and laboratory examinations of the peritoneal fluid to exclude other causes. The laboratory tests in ascites associated with liver metastases or with hepatocellular carcinoma were similar to those in benign hepatic ascites and the two ascites forms must be separated by other clinical and technical findings. Pancreatic ascites can easily be distinguished from the other forms by the high amylase and lipase content.
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PMID:[Laboratory chemical analysis in ascites]. 203 10

The aim of this study was to test the diagnostic value of ascitic fluid cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations and of serum-ascites albumin concentration gradient in the differentiation between cirrhotic and malignant ascites. These biological parameters were determined, on the one hand in 34 cirrhotic patients, 6 of them having an hepatocellular carcinoma and 6 others having a spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and, on the other hand, in 16 patients with malignant ascites, 13 of them having an abdominal extra-hepatic or pelvic cancer, and 3 others having an extra-abdominal cancer with multiple liver metastases. Ascitic carcinoembryonic antigen assay and ascitic fluid cytology were also done in the 50 patients. In differentiating the cirrhotic patients from those with malignancy, ascitic fluid cholesterol concentration (discriminating value less than 1.1 mmol/l) ascitic fluid triglycerides concentration (discriminating value 0.5 mmol/l) and serum-ascites albumin concentration gradient (discriminating value greater than 11 g/l) allowed a diagnostic efficiency of 0.92, 0.80 and 0.77, respectively. Ascitic fluid cytology showed presence of malignant cells in 3/6 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with cirrhosis, in 9/16 patients having a malignant ascites, and was negative in other patients. Ascitic carcinoembryonic antigen assay was abnormal only in 3/16 patients with malignant ascites. These results suggest that measurement of ascitic fluid cholesterol concentration must be included in the initial evaluation of patients with ascites of unknown origin.
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PMID:[Concentration of lipids in ascitic fluid and the concentration gradient of albumin in blood and ascites: diagnostic significance]. 261 52

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of fibronectin levels in ascites to differentiate malignant from non-malignant ascites, the authors studied 30 patients with sterile uncomplicated ascites in chronic liver disease, 18 patients with malignant ascites and four patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Fibronectin concentration was significantly higher in malignant ascites than in sterile ascites (P less than 0.001). High values (greater than 85 mg/l) were found in four of six cases of hepatocellular carcinoma in liver cirrhosis with negative cytologic examination, and in six of seven peritoneal carcinomatoses. Low values (less than 85 mg/l) were found in four patients with liver metastases and in one patient with intrahepatic biliary duct carcinoma in cirrhosis. In four patients with infected ascites, the fibronectin level was low. Among all other parameters (total protein concentration, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, pH, amylase, triglycerides, leukocyte count, and cytologic examination), fibronectin yielded the best degree of discrimination (diagnostic accuracy, 79%).
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PMID:Diagnostic accuracy of fibronectin in the differential diagnosis of ascites. 302 17

The serum-ascites albumin (SAA) gradient has been defined as the serum albumin concentration minus the ascitic fluid albumin concentration. The SAA gradient is superior to the exudate-transudate concept to classify ascites, being a exact portal hypertension (PH) marker. An elevated SAA gradient (1.1 g/L or greater) correlates with PH, whereas a low gradient indicates no PH. The SAA gradient correlates well with PH in cirrhotic patients. It is also of particular utility to differentiate between congestive heart failure and malignant ascites without liver metastases (both of them with elevated ascites fluid proteins -AFP-). However, a low SAA gradient do not differentiate between tuberculous and malignant ascites. Consequently, there are still need for tests a cytology, culture for mycobacteria or ascites fluid polymorphonuclear cell count in some cases. The level of AFP, apart from the exudate-transudate concept, has some value for certain cases (a low level of AFP implicates a high risk of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis). The SAA gradient should replace the AFP concentration as the initial test to classify ascites.
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PMID:[Sero-ascitic gradient of albumin: usefulness and diagnostic limitations]. 892 34