Difficult-to-treat ascitic fluid infection is a predictor of transplant-free survival in childhood decompensated chronic liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinico-bacteriological profile of ascitic fluid infection (AFI) and its impact on outcome in childhood chronic liver disease (CLD).

METHODS: It was a retrospective study on pediatric CLD patients requiring an ascitic tap. Logistic regression was performed to study the predictive factors for AFI.

RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-two (30.9%) of 814 children with CLD underwent ascitic tap on suspicion of AFI of whom 79 (31.3%) had AFI, culture negative neutrocytic ascites being the commonest. Younger age (p = 0.002), male gender (p = 0.007), new onset/rapid increase in ascites (p = 0.032), fever (p = 0.012), and blood total leukocyte count (TLC) (p = 0.001) were found to be independently associated with AFI. Twenty-three children had positive ascitic fluid culture: 15 Gram negative; 11 (52.3%) were multidrug resistant organism. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) (p = 0.001), Model for End-stage Liver Disease/Pediatric End-stage Liver Disease (MELD/PELD) (p < 0.0005), and difficult-to-treat AFI (p = 0.007) were found to be independently associated with death and or LT.

CONCLUSION: Children with ascites should undergo a diagnostic paracentesis in presence of fever, increasing or new-onset ascites, and/or increased TLC. Death or liver transplant are more likely due to advanced liver disease (high PELD /HE) and in those with difficult-to-treat AFI.