Study of B2-microglobulin in patients with ascites

ABSTRACT

Beta [2] microglobulin was measured in sera and ascitic fluid of 24 patients with malignant ascites, 24 patients with ascites secondary to bilharzial liver fibrosis, 18 patients with Tuberculous ascites and in sera of 24 healthy volunteer controls by enryme linked immuroassay. Serum beta [2]-microglobulin level were significantly higher in all patients with ascites than controls [1.545 +/- 0.245 mg/L]. Among the ascitic groups, the bilharzial group had the highest serum beta [2] - microglobulin [8.058 +/- 1.135mg/L] followed by the malignant group [6.461 +/- 1.007mg/L] and lastly the Tuberculous group [3.881 +/- 0.223mg/L]. In the ascitic fluid beta [2]-microglobulin was significantly higher in the tuberculous group [7.817 +/- 1.947mg/L] than the bilharzial group [5.145 +/- 0.374 mg/L] and the latter was in turn significantly higher than the malignant group [2.564 +/- 0.398mg/L]. A significant positive correlation between serum and ascitic fluid beta [2]-microglobulin levels was found only in the bilharzial group. Ascitic/serum ratio of beta [2]-microglobulin levels was >1 in Tuberculous group [2.04 +/- 0.56] and < 1 in the bilharzial and malignant groups [0.67 +/- 0.83 and 0.42 +/- 0.10 respectively]. It is concluded that estimation of either serum or ascetic fluid beta [2]-microglobulin alone is not conclusive in diagnosis of the cause of ascites. However the finding of striking rise of ascitic beta [2]-microglobulin level in conjunction with an ascetic serum ratio > 1 is highly suggestive of tuberculosis as a cause of ascites