[Spontaneous ascitic infection in cirrhotic Africans. Descriptive study apropos of 12 cases].
BACKGROUND
Spontaneous ascitic infection (SAI) is a frequent and serious complication of cirrhosis.


OBJECTIVE
In a retrospective study, the authors report clinical and biological data associated with SAI for cirrhotic patients in an African medical centre.


METHODS
Twenty-two cirrhotic patients with ascites were included in a one-year study (November 1996 to October 1997). Clinical and biological data were obtained through medical files.


RESULTS
The mean age of the 22 cirrhotic patients with ascites (12 men, 10 women) was 48.9 years. Twelve cases of SAI were found. In a univariate analysis, the more frequent data in patients with SAI when compared to patients without SAI were: fever or hypothermia (91.7% versus 10%, p = 0.002), abdominal pain (83.3% versus 40%, p = 0.046), cloudy ascitic fluid (66.7% versus 10%, p = 0.003), medium albuminemia (18.2 g/l versus 23 g/l, p = 0.02), medium prothrombin rate (42.8% versus 58.3%; p = 0.04) and ascitic fluid protein level < or = 10 g/l (91.7% versus 30%, p = 0.01). The protein level in ascitic fluid cirrhotic patients was significantly lower in SAI than in patients without SAI (7.6 g/l versus 11 g/l; p = 0.005). In a multivariate analysis, protein levels in ascitic fluid were the only factor associated with SAI (p = 0.024).
Attia
K A
KA
Service de médecine générale et d'hépato-gastro-entérologie, CHU de Yopougon, 21 BP 632 Abidjan 21, Côte-d'Ivoire. attia_alain@hotmail.com
N'dri-Yoman
T
T
Sawadogo
A
A
Mahassadi
A
A
Bathaix-Yao
F
F
Sermé
K
K
Kassi
L M
LM
D015746:Abdominal Pain; D001201:Ascites; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D011506:Proteins