Li Du1, Shenghua Zhu1, Zhiwen Lu1, Ting Xu1, Tao Bai1, Dong Xu2, Xiuqi Wei3, Jin Li4, Keshu Xu1, Jin Ye1, Xiaohua Hou1, Yuhu Song1. 1. Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 3. Department of Clinical Laboratory, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 4. Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The diagnostic value of ascitic cholesterol in the differential diagnosis of ascites is controversial. AIM: To investigate the diagnostic performance of ascitic cholesterol in the differential diagnosis of ascites. METHODS: Consecutive patients with new-onset ascites were enrolled prospectively. The pertinent data were collected from 629 patients with all forms of ascites. RESULTS: In the training cohort, determination of the ascitic cholesterol level was a highly effective method of distinguishing non-portal hypertension (NPH) from portal hypertension (PH). At the pre-determined cut-off value of 45 mg/dL, the sensitivity of ascitic cholesterol was superior to the serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) in identifying NPH-related ascites; the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.945. In the patients misdiagnosed based on SAAG classification, the diagnostic accuracy of ascitic cholesterol was 69%. The ascitic cholesterol level showed excellent performance in identifying peritoneal lesions in patients with mixed ascites. CONCLUSION: Ascitic cholesterol is an excellent measure for detecting NPH ascites and for identifying peritoneal lesions in mixed ascites. Thus, this simple and cost-effective measure should be determined in patients with new-onset ascites (www.chictr.org.cn; ChiCTR-DCD-15006907).
BACKGROUND: The diagnostic value of ascitic cholesterol in the differential diagnosis of ascites is controversial. AIM: To investigate the diagnostic performance of ascitic cholesterol in the differential diagnosis of ascites. METHODS: Consecutive patients with new-onset ascites were enrolled prospectively. The pertinent data were collected from 629 patients with all forms of ascites. RESULTS: In the training cohort, determination of the ascitic cholesterol level was a highly effective method of distinguishing non-portal hypertension (NPH) from portal hypertension (PH). At the pre-determined cut-off value of 45 mg/dL, the sensitivity of ascitic cholesterol was superior to the serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) in identifying NPH-related ascites; the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.945. In the patients misdiagnosed based on SAAG classification, the diagnostic accuracy of ascitic cholesterol was 69%. The ascitic cholesterol level showed excellent performance in identifying peritoneal lesions in patients with mixed ascites. CONCLUSION:Ascitic cholesterol is an excellent measure for detecting NPH ascites and for identifying peritoneal lesions in mixed ascites. Thus, this simple and cost-effective measure should be determined in patients with new-onset ascites (www.chictr.org.cn; ChiCTR-DCD-15006907).