Efficacy of prophylactic ciprofloxacin in the prevention of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

To assess the efficacy of giving prophylactic ciprofloxacin for the prevention of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis [SBP] in cirrhotics. A prospective study of eighty [80] patients suffering from liver cirrhosis with ascites. Medical Unit-III, Services Hospital, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Main Outcome Measures: Whether or not spontaneous bacterial peritonitis develops during a follow-up of one year. From the ciprofloxacin group, seven patients [17%] developed spontaneous bacterial peritonitis while in the control group, sixteen patients [40%] developed spontaneous bacterial peritonitis during follow-up of one year [p = 0.048]. At one year follow-up, the probability of recurrence was 28% in the ciprofloxacin group and 78% in the control group. These results indicate thatlong-term selective intestinal decontamination with ciprofloxacin is effective and safe in preventing spontaneous bacterial peritonitis recurrence