Identification of Francisella tularensis in ascites in the context of typhoidal tularaemia.

Tularaemia is a highly infectious, zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis, which has become increasingly prevalent over the past decade. Depending on the route of infection, different clinical manifestations can be observed. We report a case of typhoidal tularaemia presenting as a febrile illness with gastrointestinal symptoms in a patient in her mid-80s. During the acute illness phase and in the context of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis, the patient developed progressive ascites. During paracentesis, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was consistently reported. Blood culture revealed Gram-negative bacilli identified as F. tularensis upon microscopic examination. Immediate clinical improvement was observed after adaptation to a pathogen-specific antibiotic regime. Typhoidal tularaemia presents general, non-specific symptoms without the local manifestations seen in other forms of the disease, thus representing a diagnostic challenge. In the case of protracted fever and if the epidemiological context as well as possible exposure are compatible, tularaemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Recent developments in the management of ascites in cirrhosis.

In recent years, advances have been made for treating ascites in patients with cirrhosis. Recent studies have indicated that several treatments that have been used for a long time in the management of portal hypertension may have beneficial effects that were not previously identified. Long-term albumin infusion may improve survival in patients with cirrhosis and ascites while beta-blockers may reduce ascites occurrence. Transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt (TIPS) placement may also improve survival in selected patients in addition to the control with ascites. Low-flow ascites pump insertion can be another option for some patients with intractable ascites. In this review, we summarize the latest data related to the management of ascites occurring in cirrhosis. There are still unanswered questions, such as the optimal use of albumin as a long-term therapy, the place of beta-blockers, and the best timing for TIPS placement to improve the natural history of ascites, as well as the optimal stent diameter to reduce the risk of shunt-related side-effects. These issued should be addressed in future studies.

Diagnosis and Management of Hepatic Hydrothorax.

Hepatic hydrothorax is a pleural effusion (typically ≥500 mL) that develops in patients with cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension in the absence of other causes. In most cases, hepatic hydrothorax is seen in patients with ascites. However, ascites is not always found at diagnosis and is not clinically detected in 20% of patients with hepatic hydrothorax. Some patients have no symptoms and incidental findings on radiologic examination lead to the diagnosis of the condition. In the majority of cases, the patients present with symptoms such as dyspnea at rest, cough, nausea, and pleuritic chest pain. The diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax is based on clinical manifestations, radiological features, and thoracocentesis to exclude other etiologies such as infection (parapneumonic effusion, tuberculosis), malignancy (lymphoma, adenocarcinoma) and chylothorax. The management strategy involves a stepwise approach of one or more of the following: Reducing ascitic fluid production, preventing fluid transfer to the pleural space, fluid drainage from the pleural cavity, pleurodesis (obliteration of the pleural cavity), and liver transplantation. The complications of hepatic hydrothorax are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The complication that causes the highest morbidity and mortality is spontaneous bacterial empyema (also called spontaneous bacterial pleuritis).

Endometriosis presenting as relapsing haemorrhagic ascites in a South Asian woman: A case report.

Endometriosis presenting as ascites is a rare entity, and is more so in women of Asian ethnicity. Less than a hundred cases have been reported worldwide. Majority of patients present with abdominal dist ension and pa in, drai ning massive blood stained serosanguineous fluid. This hinders future fertility prospects of these women. O va rian suppression has been employed as a successful treatment, followed by definitive surgical treatment, such as bilateral salpingo -ooph orectomy, to end the possibility of recurrences, which are otherwise always possible. We present the case of a woman of reproductive age, seeking fertility treatment, who had a more subtle presentation of moderate, but relapsing ascites of un known origin in the past two years. Diagnostic laparoscopy and histopathology of the pe ritoneal deposits suggested endometriosis. Her ovarian func tion was s uppressed, and sh e is curre nt ly underway of a ssisted re produ ction for achieving a pregnancy.

Ascites fluid calprotectin level is highly accurate in diagnosing spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: a preliminary proof of concept prospective study.

Ascites is the most common complication of liver cirrhosis. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a common complication of ascites. The diagnosis is made by an ascitic fluid polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell count of ≥ 250/mm3. However, no other diagnostic test is present for the diagnosis of SBP. The aim of the study present study is to assess the diagnostic yield of ascitic calprotectin in SBP, and to explore whether it can predict disease stage. We performed a single center proof-of-concept prospective study including all patients with cirrhosis and ascites who underwent paracentesis. Overall, 31 patients were included in the study. Eight patients had SBP vs. 23 patients without SBP. Ascitic calprotectin level was 77.4 ± 86.5 µg/mL in the SBP group, as compared to 16.1 ± 5.6 µg/mL in the non-SBP group (P = 0.001). An ascitic calprotectin cut-off value of > 21 µg/mL was associated with sensitivity and specificity of 85.7% and 89.5%, respectively, with ROC of 0.947 (95% CI 0.783 to 0.997, P < 0.0001). Notably, ascitic calprotectin did not had a prognostic value in cirrhosis stage and prognosis. Ascitic calprotectin was highly accurate in the diagnosis of SBP. It can be a serve as adjunct for indefinite cases of SBP.

Successful treatment of refractory ascites in a patient with liver cirrhosis combined with hepatic artery-portal vein malformation: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic artery-portal vein malformation is rarely encountered in clinical practice. Here, we reported a case of liver cirrhosis combined with hepatic artery-portal vein malformation with refractory ascites as the main symptom. And it was successfully treated by us. The present case demonstrates the role of hepatic artery-portal vein malformation in cirrhotic ascites and the importance of early diagnosis and interventional treatment. This article may provides some experience for the treatment of such patients. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient was a 72-year-old woman with a 40-year history of Hepatitis B virus surface antigen positivity who sought medical advice with a chief complaint of abdominal distension for 1 week. DIAGNOSES: Enhanced abdominal computed tomography imaging of this patient revealed liver cirrhosis, splenomegaly, esophageal and gastric varices, massive ascites, and a low-density area in the S4 segment of the liver with an ambiguous boundary. Widening of the left branch of the portal vein was evident, and the portal vein was highlighted in the arterial phase and the venous phase. Digital subtraction angiography revealed substantial thickening of the left hepatic artery, and the administered contrast agent drained through the malformed vascular mass to the thickened left portal vein. Liver cirrhosis combined with hepatic artery-portal vein malformation were diagnosed. And we considered that the artery-portal vein malformation in this patient might be caused by cirrhosis. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was applied diuretics, entecavir and transcatheter embolization. OUTCOMES: The patient ascites did not resolve significantly when treated with diuretics alone. After the transcatheter embolization, the patient ascites relieved remarkably. CONCLUSION: The patient underwent transcatheter embolization for hepatic artery-portal vein malformation, after which her ascites resolved with good short-term curative efficacy. So, the patients who suffered from liver cirrhosis combined with hepatic artery-portal vein malformation and refractory ascites, should be active on transcatheter embolization.

Ascites and Chronic Liver Disease in Children.

Development of ascites in children with chronic liver disease is the most common form of decompensation. It is associated with a poor prognosis and increased risk of mortality. A diagnostic paracentesis should be performed in liver disease patients with- new-onset ascites, at the beginning of each hospital admission and when ascitic fluid infection (AFI) is suspected. The routine analysis includes cell count with differential, bacterial culture, ascitic fluid total protein and albumin. A serum albumin-ascitic fluid albumin gradient of ≥1.1 g/dL confirms the diagnosis of portal hypertension. Ascites has been reported in children with non-cirrhotic liver disease like acute viral hepatitis, acute liver failure and extrahepatic portal venous obstruction. The main steps in management of cirrhotic ascites include dietary sodium restriction, diuretics and large-volume paracentesis. Sodium should be restricted to maximum of 2 mEq/kg/d (max 90 mEq/d) of sodium/day. Oral diuretic therapy comprises of aldosterone antagonists (e.g., spironolactone) with or without loop-diuretics (e.g., furosemide). Once the ascites is mobilized, the diuretics should be gradually tapered to the minimum effective dosage. Tense ascites should be managed with a large-volume paracentesis (LVP) preferably with albumin infusion. Therapeutic options for refractory ascites include recurrent LVP, transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt and liver transplantation. AFI (fluid neutrophil count ≥250/mm3) is an important complication, and requires prompt antibiotic therapy. Hyponatremia, acute kidney injury, hepatic hydrothorax and hernias are the other complications.

Efficacy and safety of tolvaptan in cirrhotic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Tolvaptan has been approved for the management of cirrhosis-related complications according to the Japanese and Chinese practice guidelines, but not the European or American practice guidelines in view of FDA warning about its hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to systematically evaluate its efficacy and safety in cirrhosis. METHODS: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and/or safety of tolvaptan in cirrhosis. Risk ratios (RRs) and weight mean differences (WMDs) were calculated. The incidence of common adverse events (AEs) was pooled. RESULTS: Eight RCTs were included. Tolvaptan was significantly associated with higher rates of improvement of ascites (RR = 1.49, P < 0.001) and hyponatremia (RR = 1.80, P = 0.005) and incidence of any AEs (RR = 1.18, P = 0.003), but not serious AEs (RR = 0.86, P = 0.410). Tolvaptan was significantly associated with reductions in body weight (WMD = -1.30 kg, P < 0.001) and abdominal circumference (WMD = -1.71 cm, P < 0.001), and increases in daily urine volume (WMD = 1299.84 mL, P < 0.001) and serum sodium concentration (WMD = 2.57 mmol/L, P < 0.001). The pooled incidences of dry mouth, thirst, constipation, and pollakiuria were 16%, 24%, 6%, and 17%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Short-term use of tolvaptan may be considered in cirrhotic patients with ascites who have inadequate response to conventional diuretics and those with hyponatremia.

[Figure: see text].

Managing ascites in patients with cirrhosis.

ABSTRACT: Patients with cirrhosis have a 50% to 60% chance of developing ascites within 10 years of diagnosis. Once ascites has developed, patients have a predicted 50% mortality within 3 years. This article discusses the pathophysiology of ascites caused by cirrhosis, standards in diagnosing ascites, and the recommendations and guidelines for treating ascites. Properly managing patients with decompensated cirrhosis can improve their quality of life and longevity and minimize additional complications.

Staphylococcus cohnii infection diagnosed by metagenomic next generation sequencing in a patient on hemodialysis with cirrhotic ascites: a case report.

Background: Patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) often just receive empirical antibiotic therapy, as pathogens can be identified in only few patients using the techniques of conventional culture. Metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) is a useful tool for diagnosis of infectious diseases. However, clinical application of mNGS in diagnosis of infected ascites of cirrhotic patients is rarely reported. Case presentation: A 53-year-old male with cirrhosis on regular hemodialysis presented with continuous abdominal pain. After treatment with empiric antibiotics, his inflammatory parameters decreased without significant relief of abdominal pain. Finally, based on ascites mNGS detection, he was diagnosed as infection of Staphylococcus cohnii (S.cohnii), a gram-positive opportunistic pathogen. With targeted antibiotic treatment, the bacterial peritonitis was greatly improved and the patient's abdominal pain was significantly alleviated. Conclusions: When conventional laboratory diagnostic methods and empirical antibiotic therapy fail, proper application of mNGS can help identify pathogens and significantly improve prognosis and patients' symptoms.

[Guidelines on the management of ascites in cirrhosis (2023 version)].

Chinese Society of Hepatology of Chinese Medical Association organized relevant experts to update the Guidelines on the management of ascites and complications in cirrhosis in 2017 and renamed it as Guidelines on the management of ascites in cirrhosis. It provides guiding recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of cirrhotic ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS).

Novel and highly reliable leak check tests for drop- and external pressure-type cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy.

INTRODUCTION: For safe management of cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART), a highly reliable leak test for detecting ascites filter damage is essential. However, such a test has not been established for drop-type CART. METHODS: We devised two novel leak tests for drop- and external pressure-type CART, manual or pump pressurization methods, using high-pressure loading and pressure monitoring, and investigated their reliability. RESULTS: Both methods could easily load and maintain sufficiently high pressure (>400 Torr) on the hollow fibers for 2 min. No result deviation was noted between different operators. The pressure drops in both methods were identical and significantly lower than those in the leak test using a special CART machine, the e-CART. CONCLUSION: The reliability of our revised leak test is equivalent to that of the automatic leak test of e-CART. These highly reliable leak tests may contribute to safety in patients undergoing drop- and external pressure-type CART.

Continuous passive paracentesis versus large-volume paracentesis in the prevention and treatment of intra-abdominal hypertension in the critically ill cirrhotic patient with ascites (COPPTRIAHL): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Critically ill patients with cirrhosis and ascites are at high risk for intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) which increases mortality. Clinical guidelines recommend maintaining intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) below 16 mmHg; nonetheless, more than three quarters of critically ill patients with cirrhosis develop IAH during their first week of ICU stay. Standard-of-care intermittent large-volume paracentesis (LVP) relieves abdominal wall tension, reduces IAP, optimizes abdominal perfusion pressure, and is associated with short-term improvement in renal and pulmonary dysfunction. However, there is no evidence of the superiority of different paracentesis strategies in the prevention and treatment of IAH in critically ill patients with cirrhosis. This trial aims to compare the outcomes of continuous passive paracentesis versus LVP in the prevention and treatment of IAH in patients with cirrhosis and ascites. METHODS: An investigator-initiated, open label, randomized controlled trial, set in a general ICU specialized in liver disease, was initiated in August 2022, with an expected duration of 36 months. Seventy patients with cirrhosis and ascites will be randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive one of two methods of therapeutic paracentesis. A stratified randomization method, with maximum creatinine and IAP values as strata, will homogenize patient baseline characteristics before trial group allocation, within 24 h of admission. In the control group, LVP will be performed intermittently according to clinical practice, with a maximum duration of 8 h, while, in the intervention group, continuous passive paracentesis will drain ascitic fluid for up to 7 days. The primary endpoint is serum creatinine concentration, and secondary endpoints include IAP, measured creatinine clearance, daily urine output, stage 3 acute kidney injury and multiorgan dysfunction assessed at day 7 after enrollment, as well as 28-day mortality rate and renal replacement therapy-free days, and length-of-stay. Prespecified values will be used in case of renal replacement therapy or, beforehand ICU discharge, liver transplant and death. Safety analysis will include paracentesis-related complication rate and harm. Data will be analyzed with an intention-to-treat approach. DISCUSSION: This is the first trial to compare the impact of different therapeutic paracentesis strategies on organ dysfunction and outcomes in the prevention and treatment of IAH in critically ill patients with cirrhosis and ascites. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04322201 . Registered on 20 December 2019.

A marked elevation in serum creatinine/cystatin C ratio may indicate pseudo-acute kidney injury due to urinary ascites: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Urinary ascites represents a scarcely observed pseudo-acute kidney injury in clinical settings. Protracted or missed diagnosis may hold grave ramifications for patient outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a case involving an elderly female patient experiencing pseudo-acute kidney injury accompanied by ascites, wherein her renal dysfunction persisted despite medical intervention and hemodialysis. Urinary ascites was identified via a methylene blue test and by contrasting creatinine levels in serum and ascites. This patient's kidney function was multiple typified by a marked elevation in serum creatinine/Cystatin C ratio (> 2 L/dL), potentially serving as a clue for the clinical diagnosis of pseudo-acute kidney injury engendered by urinary ascites. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggested the potential diagnostic value of an asynchronous increase in serum creatinine and serum CysC (or an increased ratio of blood creatinine to blood CysC) in patients with pseudo-acute kidney injury.

Après Moi, Le Deluge: The identification and management of flood syndrome in the emergency department.

Umbilical hernias develop in approximately 20% of patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites. Flood Syndrome is an eponym describing the spontaneous rupture of these umbilical hernias due to the elevated intrabdominal pressure associated with large-volume ascites. Though rare, Flood Syndrome is associated with several life-threatening sequela including infection, organ failure, and hypovolemic shock, leading to mortality or transplant in over 30% of patients. The following case is a single patient encounter describing an 80-year-old female with long-standing ascites who presented to the Emergency Department shortly after experiencing a spontaneous extravasation of fluid from her umbilical hernia.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and pregnancy luteoma mimicking malignant ascites: a rare case report.

BACKGROUND: During pregnancy, both ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and pregnancy luteoma could manifest as massive ascites, enlarged ovaries, or elevated serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA125), and atypical cells may be found in the ascitic fluid of OHSS patients. Whether this should be treated aggressively as peritoneal carcinomatosis is controversial. CASE PRESENTATION: A 35-year-old G2P1A1 woman with secondary infertility had a successful pregnancy after one cycle of assisted reproductive technology. The patient complained of lower abdominal distension, oliguria, and poor appetite 19 days after embryo transplantation. She was diagnosed with late-onset OHSS. Although the size of the ovaries decreased bilaterally to the normal range at 12 weeks of gestation after prompt medical care, the ascites increased again after an initial decreasing trend. Elevated serum levels of CA125 (191.1 IU/mL), and suspected adenocarcinoma cells were observed in the ascitic fluid. Although further magnetic resonance imaging examination or diagnostic laparoscopy was recommended, the patient was provided with supportive treatment and closely monitored upon her request. Surprisingly, her ascites diminished, and serum level of CA125 started to decline at 19 weeks of gestation. During cesarean section, pathological examination of the solid mass in the right ovary revealed pregnancy luteoma, which was presumably the other cause of the intractable ascites. CONCLUSIONS: Caution should be exercised in cases of suspicious malignant ascites during pregnancy. This may due to OHSS or pregnancy luteoma, in which abnormalities usually regress spontaneously.

Pseudo-pseudo Meigs syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus misdiagnosed as pseudo-Meigs' syndrome: A case report.

Symptoms of pelvic masses, elevated serum CA125 levels, massive ascites, and pleural effusion in female patients are usually associated with malignancy. Some benign ovarian tumors or other nonmalignant tumors may also produce similar symptoms, called Meigs syndrome or pseudo-Meigs' syndrome, which should be one of the differential diagnoses. However, there is an extremely rare form of SLE called pseudo-pseudo Meigs syndrome (PPMS), which may also present with the above symptoms, but is not associated with any of the tumors. In this paper, we report a case of a 47-year-old woman who presented with abdominal distention. The patient was found to have elevated serum CA125 levels to 182.9 U/mL before the operation. Her PET-CT suggested a large heterogeneous mass in the pelvis measuring 8.2 × 5.8 cm with a large amount of ascites. She was initially diagnosed with ovarian cancer and underwent exploratory laparotomy. Pathology of the surgical specimen revealed a uterine leiomyoma. Two months after discharge, the patient's ascites reappeared along with recurrent intestinal obstruction. After ascites and serological tests, she was eventually diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus and received systemic hormonal therapy.