Determination of pH, Fibronectin, Cholesterol, Lactate Dehydrogenase and Sialic Acid in the Differentiation of Nonmalignant and Malignant Ascites

Authors: Hülya AKSOY, Ahmet KIZILTUNÇ, Yilmaz AKSOY, Naciye KURTUL, Ebubekir BAKAN

Abstract: Ascites, being an accumulation of excess fluid within the peritoneal cavity, is most frequently encountered in patients with cirrhosis or certain other diseases such as congestive cardiac failure, peritoneal tuberculosis and some primary or secondary peritoneal tumours. This study included 17 patients (5 females, 12 males) with malignant ascites (MA) and 23 patients (13 females, 10 males) with nonmalignant ascites (NMA). We aimed to determinet the values for total sialic acid (SA), pH, cholesterol, fibronectin, total protein concentrations and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in ascitic fluid for the differential diagnosis of ascites. While total SA, fibronectin, cholesterol, LDH and total protein values in MA cases were found to be higher (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.05, p<0.05 and p<0.05 respectively), pH values were lower (p<0.05) in the MA group than in the NMA group. From these parameters, fibronectin proved to be the most specific and total SA proved to be the most sensitive test for differential diagnosis of ascites. It was is concluded that the measurements of total SA, cholesterol and fibronectin in ascitic fluid may be useful for differential diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ascites. The use of these three parameters, in combination, may provide higher sensitivity and specificity for the differentiation of MA.

Keywords: Sialic acid, Ascitic fluid, cholesterol, fibronectin, pH.

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