Diagnostic Significance Of Serum Ascites Cholesterol In Malignant And Non Malignant Ascites

INTRODUCTION: Ascites is a very common clinical problem. However, the ability to distinguish malignant from non-malignant and tubercular causes of ascites using various biochemical techniques would obviate the need of many expensive and time-consuming diagnostic studies on patients presenting with ascites of unknown etiology. Therefore, this study was planned to evaluate usefulness of ascitic uid albumin, protein, SAAG and ascitic uid cholesterol level in diagnosis of malignant, non-malignant and tubercular ascites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study in Department of medical gastroenterology, Madras Medical College from time period of January 2018 to December 2018. All cases of ascites of unknown etiology were evaluated and were grouped into malignant and benign ones. Patient having peritonitis were excluded from the study. In this groups, serum albumin,ascitic uid albumin, cholesterol were done. The data was processed in MS Excel and analysis was carried out using SPSS Ver. 23. RESULTS: Out of 80 patients, 30 were malignant (37.5%) and 50 were benign (62.5%).Cirrhosis was the most common cause of benign ascites and carcinoma stomach was the most common cause of malignant ascites. Ascitic uid cholesterol above the level of 100mg/dl has a specicity of 100% in detecting malignant ascites. CONCLUSION: SAAG, ascitic uid cholesterol having high specicity, can be used for differentiating between non-malignant and malignant ascites. It can also be used to differentiate tubercular ascites from malignant ascites.