Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotics: clinical and ascitic fluid findings

During a two-year period, 30 patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis were documented. All patients had ascites and 70% were alcoholic cirrhosis. Fever and abdominal pain were the most frequent presenting manifestations (96.66% and 76.66% respectively). Triads of fever, abdominal pain and rebound tenderness were found in 40%. A third had hepatic encephalopathy and decreased bowel sound. Ascitic fluid was transudate. Positive ascitic fluid culture and blood culture were obtained in 40% and 59% respectively, and three quarters were due to gram negative enteric bacilli. There was no significant statistic correlation among the result of ascitic fluid gram's stain and ascitic fluid culture, and of ascitic fluid culture and blood culture. The clinical and laboratory findings of patients with positive and negative ascitic fluid culture were similar. Significant increased mortality was found in patients who had hepatic encephalopathy, hypotension, increased bilirubin level and serum creatinine. The over all mortality was 33.33%. We recommend abdominal paracentesis in every cirrhotic patients with ascites who were admitted into hospital.