Portal Hypertension - Differential Diagnosis

This book emphasizes the importance of levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzyme in ascitic fluid as an aid to differential diagnosis, of portal hypertension (P.H.T.). Total LDH activity and LDH isoenzymes levels in ascitic fluid and in serum of patients from ascites not associated with P.T.H. and ascites associated with P.T.H are presented. Concentration of total protein and protein fractions are also included to correlate with LDH total activity and LDH isoenzymes level. Increase in levels of LDH total activity in ascitic fluid and in serum in patients of ascites associated with P.H.T. are in agreement with the increase in level of its isoenzymes in ascitic fluid and in serum of the same patients. The increase in levels of LDH isoenzymes in ascitic fluid and serum in patients of ascites with P.H.T. are reflected in ascitic fluid and serum protein fractions of the same patients. The levels of ascitic fluid total LDH activity (200 IU/L) are useful in the exclusion of pure cirrhosis (uncomplicated) as the sole cause for the ascites. The ascitic fluid total protein concentration (2.5 gms %) is useful in order to distinguish traditionally transudate from exudate