Ascites Calprotectin

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is an acute bacterial infection of ascitic fluid. It primarily occurs in patients with advanced cirrhosis and, generally, no source of the infecting agent is easily identifiable.

Fever, abdominal pain, altered mental status, abdominal tenderness, or hypotension in cirrhosis cases indicates SBP. In addition, patients with ascites admitted to the hospital for other reasons should undergo paracentesis to look for evidence of SBP.