[Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in the patients with liver cirrhosis].

AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess objective incidence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), laboratory findings, effectivity of the treatment and mortality of cirrhotics with ascites and SBP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 1994 to June 1999 we performed 692 abdominal paracenteses in 169 cirrhotic patients (mean age 52,63 +/- 8,02 years, mean Child-Pugh score 10,41 +/- 3,02). Culture of ascitic fluid, total leucocyte and granulocyte count in ascites and total protein, albumin and cholesterol levels in ascites and serum were examinated. Diagnosis of SBP was established by criteria of Wilcox and Dismukes. RESULTS: SBP was found in 27 patients by 1st paracentesis (16,0 %), in the other 13 patients by repeated paracentesis (7,7 %). 51 episodes of SBP (7,4 % of all paracenteses) were found in 40 patients. 48 episodes of SBP (94,7 %) were succesfully treated by ATB therapy, 8 patients with SBP died during hospitalization (15,7 %). Patients with SBP had significant lower total protein, albumin and cholesterol levels in serum and ascites compared to patients without ascites infection (all paramethers p <0,01). CONCLUSION: SBP is a common complication in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis and ascites. Despite of effectivity of ATB therapy the hospital mortality of patients with SBP is high. KEYWORDS: liver cirrhosis, ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, mortality.