Assessment of adenosine deaminase levels and lypmhocyte counts in tubercular ascitis

Abstract

Ascitis is the pathological accumulation of free fluid within the peritoneal cavity. Ascitis is manifestation of number of diseases. Traditional classification of ascitis into “Exudative” and “Transudative” which involves estimation of ascitic fluid total protein, which is ≥ 2.5 g/dl in exudates and <2.5 g/dl in transudate. To estimate and compare the ascitic fluid ADA levels between the tubercular ascitis and non-tubercular ascitis and to correlate the levels of ascitic fluid ADA with total protein, albumin, sugar, SAAG and lymphocytes in subjects with tubercular ascites. In our study, we included a total of 140 subjects, out of which 21 (15%) subjects had tubercular ascitis. Out of 140 subjects 105 of them had cirrhosis of liver and 35 of them had ascitis due to other causes. Biochemical analysis for Protein, albumin, LDH and Glucose were performed on Automated Biochemistry Analyser and ADA was estimated by ADA-MTB kit method. The mean levels of total protein and albumin in Group T were 5.4±0.98 and 3.4±0.96 and in Group NT were 2.2±1.1 and 3.2±1.1 respectively. There were statistically significant elevated levels of total protein and decreased albumin in Group T as compared to Group NT.