Abstract

Ouattara B, Kra O, Kouassi L, Kone S, Biekre R, Toure KH, Nzoue KS, Kadjo K and Niamkey EK

Ascites is a concern in Internal Medicine Departments due to the difficult etiological diagnostic. This study aims at identifying the main causes of (clear fluid) ascites in a Department of Internal Medicine. It was a retrospective transversal study undertaken from January 1st 2006 through December 31st 2011 in the Department of Internal Medicine of the University Teaching Hospital of Treichville based on 225 records of ascites patients admitted in the hospital. The hospital prevalence of ascites was 3.6%. The average age of patients as worked out was 44 ± 6 years [extremes: 19 and 80 years] and a sex-ratio of 1.3. Their medical histories were predominantly chronic viral hepatitis B (14.7%). The main motive of hospitalization was the edema-ascites-(74.7%) of progressive installation (97.3%). Ascites of grade 2 and 3 represented in respective order 48.8% and 44.4%. Their aspect was clear in 45.8% of the cases, transudative in 72.4% of the cases. The most recurrent cause was liver cirrhosis (61.9%) in transudative ascites and peritoneal tuberculosis (65.5%) in exudative ascites. In 1.3% of the cases it was liver bilharzias. Ascites represent a relatively frequent hospitalization motive. Despite the poor state of technical equipment throughout African countries, a general clinical checkup of sick people added to cyto-chemical and bacteriologic tests on the ascites fluid permit to point out the etiology in most cases.