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Himayat Ullah and Ghulam Mustafa

ABSTRACT

Objective: To establish the relationship between the ascitic fluid protein level with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP).

Study Design: Comparative study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, during the June 2022 to November 2022.

Materials and Methods: This study included 290 portosystemic encephalopathy patients which were divided into two groups, 1 and 2, based on the presence or absence of SBP. Ascitic fluid proteins were measured for both groups and then compared for different variables, among the groups. The collected data was put into MS Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Washington, USA) and SPSS version 22 and analyzed. Means, medians, and standard deviations were calculated. The Spearman correlation coefficient was also calculated to show the relation between ascitic fluid proteins and SBP. Odds ratios of having SBP with different ranges of ascitic fluid protein were calculated to show the strength of the relation of low ascitic fluid proteins with the occurrence of SBP.

Results: Among 290 patients, 185 patients were in group 1 (SBP) and 105 patients were in group 2 (non-SBP). Males were 118 (63.8%) and 67 (54.3%) in group 1 and 2 respectively. The mean (S.D) age was 53.4 (15.2) and 57(19.9) years in group 1 and 2 respectively. Patients having ascitic fluid proteins < 1 g/dL were 118(63.8%) and 38(36.2%) in group 1 and 2 respectively, those having 1-2 g/dL were 53 (28.6%) and 42 (40%) in group 1 and 2 respectively and those above 2 g/dL were 14 (7.6%) and 25 (23.8%) in group 1 and 2 respectively. The mean (SD) ascitic fluid proteins level was 1.07 (0.58) and 1.57 (0.74) in group 1 and 2 respectively. Odds ratio showed that low ascitic fluid protein level was an independent factor for SBP in these patients (p < .001).

Conclusion: Low ascitic fluid protein level is an important risk factor and future predictor for the development of SBP and can be considered for the primary prophylaxis of SBP.

Key Words: Liver cirrhosis, Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, Ascites, Encephalopathy.

Citation of article: Himayat Ullah, Mustafa G. Relation of Low Ascitic Fluid Proteins with Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) in Patients with Portosystemic Encephalopathy – A Comparative Study. Med Forum 2023;34(3):17-21.