Accuracy Of Reagent Strips In Rapid Diagnosis Of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP)

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of reagent strips for
diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in cirrhotic patients with ascites, taking
polymorphonuclear cell count in ascetic fluid as standard criterion..
Material and Methods: One hundred and fifty patients having cirrhosis of liver and suspicion of
SBP admitted in the medical ward of Services Hospital, Lahore were included in the study. Ascetic
fluid of the patients was tested in the hospital laboratory for polymorph nuclear cell count and at
the same time leukocyte esterase activity of the fluid was assessed by reagent strips. The
sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy
of reagent strips were calculated.
Results: Frequency of SBP in cirrhotic patients with ascites was 28.67%. Specificity, sensitivity,
positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of reagent strips for
diagnosis of SBP in cirrhotic patients with ascites, taking PMN cell count in ascetic fluid as
standard criterion was calculated as 93.02%, 94.39%,86.97%,97.12% and 94% respectively.
Conclusion: In view of the results of the current study reagent strip method can be recomm-
ended as a rapid and accurate method for diagnosis of SBP in cirrhotic patients.