Coagulopathy is a well recognised complication of peritoneovenous shunting for ascites. The relative contributions of primary fibrinolysis and disseminated intravascular coagulation remain controversial. Plasminogen activating activity was significantly lower in malignant ascites (n = 10, median < 0.02 (range < 0.02-1.26) IU/ml) than in alcoholic ascites (n = 10, 1.07 (0.30-1.49) IU/ml) (p < 0....

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND Resistance to apoptosis is a major problem in ovarian cancer and correlates with poor prognosis. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a secreted factor in malignant ascites and acts as a decoy receptor for receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). TRAIL promotes apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. Ovarian cancer a...

BACKGROUND In contrast with other elastographic techniques, ascites is considered an exclusion criterion for assessment of fibrosis stage by transient elastography. However, a normal liver stiffness could rule out hepatic causes of ascites at an early stage. The aim of the present study was to determine whether liver stiffness can be generally determined by transient elastography through an asc...

Background: Differential diagnosis of ascites is a common clinical problem and is usually done by Serum Ascites Albumin Gradient (SAAG).However many other markers can also be utilized for the same. Aims & Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of ascitic fluid cholesterol, serum ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) , Total protein Ratio and serum ascites choleste...

Fetal ascites is an uncommon abnormality usually reported in relation to non- immunological causes. The prospect for fetal and neonatal mortality is high, particularly when the ascites develops before 24 weeks of gestation. The diminution of severe fetal ascites without intrauterine management, especially with an uncomplicated neonatal outcome, is unusual. We report a case of isolated fetal asc...

BACKGROUND The authors analyzed the secretion of extracellular matrix-degrading proteinases, including urinary-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2, gelatinase A), and MMP-9 (gelatinase B), by short term primary cultures of epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells derived from primary ovarian tumors, intraperitoneal metastases, or ascites. The presence of these enzymat...

AIM To assess the relationship between the presence of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) polymorphisms and bacterial infections in cirrhotic patients with ascites. METHODS We prospectively included consecutive patients with cirrhosis and ascites hospitalized during a 6-year period. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or any other immunodeficiency, patients with advanced hepat...

A 39-yr-old male with hepatorenal syndrome type 1 and refractory ascites was treated with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) resulting in clinical improvement. He was positive for antibodies to hepatitis B, C, and human immunodeficiency viruses, and had a history of chronic alcohol and iv drug abuse. The patient had 4 hospital admissions during a 12-wk period. He first presented with a...

BACKGROUND Octreotide is used in the treatment of acute variceal bleeding, based on its inhibitory effects of post-prandial splanchnic hyperemia and splanchnic venoconstriction. The consequences of these haemodynamic changes on renal circulation are not well known in cirrhotic patients. AIM To evaluate the effects of acute octreotide administration on several parameters of renal function, inc...