title: Diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in children by reagent strips.
abstract: This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of dipstick tests (leukocyte esterase and nitrite) in diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in cirrhotic patients. Forty six children with ascites hospitalized between 2009 and 2010 in Children Medical Center were enrolled in this study. Reagent strip assays for leukocyte esterase and nitrite were performed on ascetic fluid and the results were compared to manual cell counting and ascitic fluid culture. SBP was defined as having a polymorphonuclear ascites count of ≥ 250/mm3. Twenty children were female and twenty six were male with mean age of 3±3.9 years. The sensitivity specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the leukocyte esterase reagent strips were all 100%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of the nitrite reagent strip test were 100%, 97%, 90% and 100% respectively. Leukocyte esterase reagent strips may provide a rapid, bedside diagnostic test for the diagnosis of SBP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroentestinal, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farahmand
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eshagh Roze
authors.forename: Sedighe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shams
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghajarzadeh
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000201:enzymology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011934:Reagent Strips; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009573:Nitrites; D011934:Reagent Strips; C021443:leukocyte esterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases