[Diagnostic efficacy of albumin gradient in different causes of ascitis]

The aim of this study was to compare the serum-ascites albumin gradient (GS-A) to the transudate-exudate concept in the classification of ascites. The second objective was to analyze the predictive value and efficacy of GS-A, ascites total protein, LDH, Ratio and ascites cholesterol in patients with liver disease and malignant ascites. For this purpose we studied prospectively 98 patients (in prospective form). The transudate-exudate concept classified correctly the causes of ascites only in 65.6% of the patients. In contrast, the GS-A did it 95.7% of the patients. In differentiating ascites caused either by chronic liver disease or by malignancy, the tests with best efficacy were cholesterol (98%), (predictive value 97%) and GS-A efficacy 94% (predictive value 94%). We conclude that GS-A was better than the traditional transudate-exudate concept in classification of ascites. The test with the best efficcacy separating ascites caused by chronic liver disease or by malignancy was the ascites cholesterol.