Shahroz Azhar, Sidra Safdar, Zainab Atique, Faisal Ishfaq, Sami Ullah Mumtaz, Sajid Abaidullah.
Frequency of Asymptomatic Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Decompensated Cirrhotic patients with Ascites.
J Pak Society Int Med Jan ;3(3):220-4.

Objective: To determine the frequency of asymptomatic spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in decompensated cirrhotic patients with ascites. METHODS: This was a Cross sectional study conducted at North Medical Ward, Mayo Hospital, Lahore for Six months i.e. August 2019 to January 2020. Total 156 patients fulfilling the selection criteria were enrolled in study from OPD. Patients were advised to present in next morning with overnight fast. Then ascitic fluid sample of 10ml was taken via paracentesis. All samples were sent to the laboratory of the hospital for assessment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Reports were assessed and if absolute neutrophilic count >250/mm3, SAAG >1.1 and positive fluid culture, then spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was labeled. RESULTS Mean age of patients was 54.121?10.27 years. Among patients 116(74.4%) were male and 40(25.6%) were female. Mean duration of cirrhosis and ascites was 56.13?36.90 and 10.72?12.10 months. Asymptomatic spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was diagnosed in 64(41%) patients. Age of patients (p-value=0.051), Child Pugh class (p-value= 0.001) and duration of ascites (p-value=0.000) showed significant association for frequency of Asymptomatic spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. CONCLUSION: There is higher frequency of asymptomatic spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in decompensated cirrhotic patients with ascites. So all cirrhotic patients with ascites even asymptomatic must undergo abdominal paracentesis for ascitic fluid analysis and/or cultures diagnostic for SBP.

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