Abstract:

Background and Aims: This study aimed to evaluate patients with ascites who were followed to investigate their demographic, clinical, laboratory, and etiological features. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted from January 2013 to October 2014, and included patients with ascites that was detected for the first time before or diagnosed during this period. Patients with sufficient data in their files were included. Results: Examinations were conducted by the gastroenterology clinic because of ascites. This study included 142 patients, 65 (46%) were male and had a mean age of 58.4±16 years (range, 16-89 years). Also, 114 patients (80%) had portal ascites, whereas 28 (20%) had non-portal ascites. All-cause ascites (68%) and portal-type ascites (85%) were the most common causes of liver cirrhosis. Three cirrhotic patients had hepatocellular carcinoma and B cell lymphoma was detected in 1 patient. Other causes of portal ascites were cardiogenic in 4 patients, chronic kidney failure in 4 patients, Budd-Chiari in 3 patients, short bowel syndrome due to hypoalbuminemia in 2 patients, portal vein thrombosis in 1 patient, hypothyroidism in 1 patient. Causes of non-portal type ascites were in peritoneal carcinomatosis 10 patients (7%), ovarian cancer in 6 patients (4%), peritoneal tuberculosis in 5 patients (3%), gastric cancer in 2 patients, one in a patient with periampullary cancer, cyst rupture, endometrial cancer, nephrotic syndrome and postoperative biliary leakage was ascites. Conclusion: Approximately 80% of patients with ascites have portal hypertensive-type ascites. It is the most common cause of both cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Non-portal ascites is the most common malignancy and occurs in about two-thirds of patients, whereas the second reason is peritoneal tuberculosis.

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