value of ascitic fluid fibronectin in the differentiation of malignant and cirrhotic ascites

ABSTRACT

The differentiation of malignant and cirrhotic ascites is of considerable importance for further diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. This work was carried out to evaluate the use of ascitic fluid firbronectin concentration to differentiate between malignant and cirrhotic ascites in comparison with two conventional tests namely ascitic fluid total proteins and ascitic fluid LDH. Eighteen patients with malignant ascites and fourteen patients with cirrhotic ascites were included in this work. Ascitic fluid samples were subjected to the following tests culture and sensitivity, cytologlc examination, total proteins, LDH, and firbronectin concentration using radial immunodiffusion technique. Total proteins, LDH and firbronectin showed significant differences between both groups with firbronectin having higher diagnostic accuracy than total proteins and LDH