Clinical, Laboratory and Bacterial Profile of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Vietnamese Patients with Liver Cirrhosis.

AIM: To determine several clinical and laboratory features as well as the bacterial profile of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in 58 Vietnamese patients admitted to a single center due to liver cirrhosis.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed bacteriological, clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with SBP admitted to the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Center from July 2019 to July 2020.

RESULTS

Out of a total 58 SBP patients, 41 (70.9%) had culture-negative neutrocytic ascites. The majority of patients experienced abdominal pain (93,1%) and large ascites (65,5%). Gram-negative bacteria formed the main pathogens (14/17). Escherichia coli (9/17) was the predominant cause followed by Burkholderia cepacia (2/17). Antibiotic sensitivity rate of E. coli for third generation cephalosporin was low but high for aminoglycoside and carbapenem antibiotics. The resistance of E. coli was significant against fluoroquinolones (100%). All 3 cases of gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to vancomycin.

CONCLUSION

Our study reported the bacteriological and clinical characteristics of patients with SBP and compared these findings between two groups: positive ascitic fluid culture and negative fluid culture. Ascitic fluid culture can guide for the right antibiotic choice since resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics is common in SBP patients.