Background and study aim: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is one of the complications of ‎decompensated liver cirrhosis and ascites. A polymorphonuclear leukocyte ‎‎(PMNL) count of 250/mm³ or higher is the gold standard for diagnosing SBP. ‎Accurate and early detection of SBP is critical to reduce mortality and ‎complications in patients with cirrhosis. This study aimed to see how accurate ‎ascitic fluid Transforming growth factor-β [TGF-β 1] is a predictor for the ‎detection of SBP‎‎‎‎‎.‎
Patients and Methods: Eighty-two Egyptian patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites were enrolled; these ‎patients were divided into two groups: 42 patients with SBP and 40 patients ‎without SBP based on an elevated ascitic PMNL count of 250 cells/mm3 or ‎more. Ascitic fluid samples were examined in all patients for PMNL count, ‎culture, chemistry, and Transforming growth factor-β [TGF-β] concentrations.‎ The work was carried out in the Internal Medicine Department of Suez Canal ‎University Hospital.‎
Results: TGF-β1 levels in the ascitic fluid were correlated significantly with ascitic fluid ‎PMNLs and significantly higher in patients with SBP than non-SBP (P<0.001), ‎with the best cutoff value for the detection of SBP of 151.5 ng/ml with a ‎sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 100%‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎.
Conclusion: Elevated ascitic fluid TGF-β1 levels in cirrhotic patients are a diagnostic and ‎reliable marker for the detection of SBP‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎.