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The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine
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Serum and ascitic procalcitonin as a marker for early diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

The Egyptian Journal of Internal Medicine volume 31, pages 208–213 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background and aim

of the work Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a serious complication in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. SBP is an inflammation of the peritoneum by micro-organisms such as gram-negative bacilli. Early diagnosis of SBP is essential which may be a challenge for clinicians owing to lack of symptoms in early stage of SBP. The aim of this study is to evaluate procalcitonin (PCT) level in the serum and ascitic fluid of patients with cirrhosis for early diagnosis of SBP.

Patients and methods

This study was carried out on 45 patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. They were classified into two groups: group 1 included 15 patients free of SBP and group 2 with SBP based on ascetic polymprphnuclear leucocytes (PNLs) more than 250/ 3 mm and ascitic fluid culture. Evaluation of C-reactive protein, ascetic fluid polymorphs count, and serum and ascetic PCT levels was done for all patients.

Results

No significant difference between SBP group and non-SBP group regarding ascetic PCT level, with P value more than 0.05. Serum PCT in patients with SBP shows high statistically significant difference, with P value less than 0.005, in comparison with patients without SBP.

Conclusion

Serum PCT is a good predictor marker for early diagnosis of SBP in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, 32511, Egypt

    Elsayed I. Elshayeb MD & Mohamed H. Badr

  2. Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt

    Eman M. Abdu Elgayed

  3. Resident in Fever Hospital, Shebin Elkom, Menoufia, Egypt

    Amira S. Nor El-dean

Authors
  1. Elsayed I. Elshayeb MD
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  2. Mohamed H. Badr
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  3. Eman M. Abdu Elgayed
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  4. Amira S. Nor El-dean
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Correspondence to Elsayed I. Elshayeb MD.

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Elshayeb, E.I., Badr, M.H., Abdu Elgayed, E.M. et al. Serum and ascitic procalcitonin as a marker for early diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Egypt J Intern Med 31, 208–213 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4103/ejim.ejim_74_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/ejim.ejim_74_18

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