The Comparison of Total Protein of Ascites Fluid with Serum Ascites Albumin Gradient as Criterion in the Differential Diagnosis of Ascites

Abstract

A total 97 paired serum & ascites fluid samples from ascitic patients were collected and analyzed. The utility of the serum - ascites albumin gradient & the exudate transudate concept as defined by ascitic fluid total protein concentration (A.F.T.P) were compared. 46 patients were suffering from liver cirrhosis (47.4%) & 43 patients (93.5%) from this group had AFTP 1.1 g/dl . In 10 patients (100%) with ascites due to malignancy AFTP > 2.5 g/dl ,and in 50% of the patients in this group albumin gradient > 1.1 g/dl and in the rest of the patients (50%) with malignant ascites albumin gradient was < 1.1 g/dl. Only in diagnosis of malignant ascites AFTP was preferred to albumin gradient in our research but in other cases it was not any superiority between the tow concepts.

Keywords

• ascitics fluid / ascitics fluid total protein / serum albumin