Table 2.
Utility of continuous variables for risk assessment of developing persistent spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP).
| Variable | Median (Q1, Q3) by type of SBP unless otherwise indicated |
p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpersistent | Persistent | ||
| Age (years) | 58.13 (8.79)* | 51.80 (9.84)* | 0.0253$ |
| Initial ascitic fluid PMN cell count (/ml) | 660.80 (384.30, 1708.00) | 878.40 (615.40, 3283.20) | 0.1530‡ |
| Change in ascitic fluid PMN cell count (/ml) | 652.00 (331.28, 1651.00) | −69.79 (−671.60, 1189.20) | 0.0270$ |
| Ascites albumin (g/dl) | 1.00 (1.00, 1.20) | 0.61 (0.24, 1.00) | 0.0141‡ |
| SAAG | 1.10 (0.60, 1.60) | 1.85 (1.50, 2.41) | 0.0270‡ |
| Ascites glucose (mg/dl) | 107.50 (98.50, 131.50) | 100.00 (51.50, 125.00) | 0.6710‡ |
| Ascites LDH (IU/l) | 120.50 (86.00, 250.00) | 143.00 (92.00, 278.50) | 0.9577‡ |
| Serum creatinine (mg/dl) | 1.60 (1.00, 2.30) | 1.70 (1.40, 4.40) | 0.0997‡ |
| Serum bilirubin (mg/dl) | 4.95 (2.10, 9.10) | 6.20 (2.30, 15.10) | 0.1890‡ |
| Serum INR | 1.60 (1.35, 2.15) | 1.80 (1.58, 2.10) | 0.5574‡ |
| Serum sodium (mEq/l) | 132.78 (6.93)* | 133.93 (8.84)* | 0.6111$ |
| Serum albumin (g/dl) | 2.10 (1.90, 2.90) | 2.60 (2.10, 2.90) | 0.5489‡ |
| MELD score | 22.22 (8.10)* | 27.98 (8.09)* | 0.0225$ |
INR, international normalized ratio; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; MELD, model for end-stage liver disease; PMN, polymorphonuclear; SAAG, serum ascites albumin gradient.
Of the continuous variables tested, change in ascitic fluid PMN cell count, ascites albumin, SAAG, and higher MELD score were the only statistically significant variables to predict an increased risk for the development of persistent SBP.
*
Mean (SD).
‡
Wilcoxon rank-sum test.
$
Two-sample t-test.