Scripta Medica (Jan 2014)
Comparison of abdominal puncture and diuretics during ascites treatment
Abstract
In clinical practice, ascites treatment is, in majority of cases, unsatisfactory and followed by multiple complications. During the therapy, some side effects, in relation to therapeutic method, may occur. The aim of the study was to compare the level of tolerance and effectiveness of ascites therapy in applying abdominal puncture versus diuretics between two groups of patients to establish connection and differences in applied treatments. Patients and methods. There were 60 patients examined with ascites 3+ and 4+ divided into two equal groups. First group was treated by abdominal puncture several times a week while patients in the other group were administered diuretics either monotherapeutically or in combination. Majority of patients (86.7%) experienced no side effects after applied therapeutic protocol. 6,7% of patients experienced abdominal pain, 3.3% of them had cramps, ailment 1.7% and nausea 1.7% with no statistic difference between two groups of patients (p>0.05). Registered side effects were mild (5%) to moderate (8.3%), while only 1.7% of patients treated by abdominal puncture experienced leaking of ascitic fluid at the puncture site. Conclusion. No major statistic difference between groups of patients was recorded in relation to side effects and complications in applied ascites therapy (p>0.05). Abdominal puncture and diuretics were both equally well tolerated in hospital conditions. Potential risk in ascites therapy can be reduced to the smallest possible extent by intensive observation of the patient.
