title: Complement and immunoglobulin levels in serum and ascitic fluid of patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, malignant ascites, and tuberculous peritonitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We determined complement and immunoglobulin levels in ascitic fluid and serum of 47 patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, malignant ascites, or tuberculous ascites.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paracentesis was done to confirm the underlying cause of ascites. Biochemical, hematologic, and microbiologic investigations were also done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest serum and ascitic fluid C3 and C4 levels and ascitic fluid IgM, IgA, and IgG levels were found in patients with tuberculosis. Ascitic fluid C3 level was found to be higher in the tuberculous group than in the patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis or malignant ascites. Ascitic fluid C4 levels were higher in patients with tuberculosis than in those with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that further studies of the in vivo kinetics of immunoglobulins and complement in ascitic fluid of various causes are necessary for a better understanding of the host defense mechanisms of these fluids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Inonu University School of Medicine and Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Nurzen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sezgin
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sevinc
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hilmioglu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000276:immunology*; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D003165:Complement System Proteins