RESUMO
SAAG [serum ascitic albumin gradient], is a liable index of portal hypertension and correlates directly with pressure gradient between portal capillaries and peritoneal cavity. Calculation of SAAG is simple and the procedure can be done safely in in-patients as well as out patients. It was a cross-sectional comparative study, of 6 months duration conducted in Medical unit I of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. There were 50 patients of ages between 15 and 70 years with ascites secondary to chronic liver disease. All patients were investigated for presence of portal hypertension both by detecting portal vein diameter on ultrasound and serum ascitic albumin gradient. Thirty seven [74%] out of 50 patients had portal hypertension on basis of serum ascitic albumin gradient while ultrasound of portal vein confirmed portal hypertension in 35 [70%] patients. Serum ascitic albumin gradient was found 97.14% sensitive in detecting portal hypertension. Serum ascitic albumin gradient is a reliable marker to differentiate ascites into portal hypertensive and non- portal hypertensive etiology