Evaluation of peritoneal fluid pH, glucose concentration, and lactate dehydrogenase activity for detection of septic peritonitis in horses
Van Hoogmoed, L.; Rodger, L.D.; Spier, S.J.; Gardner, I.A.; Yarbrough, T.B.; Snyder, J.R.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 214(7): 1032-1036
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 10200799 Document Number: 505081
Peritoneal fluid and blood samples collected from 10 healthy horses, 15 horses with septic peritonitis and 21 horses with non-septic peritonitis were analysed for pH, glucose concentration and lactate dehydrogenase activity. Complete blood cell counts were performed and peritoneal fluid samples were submitted for bacterial culture. Horses with septic peritonitis had significantly lower peritoneal fluid pH and glucose concentrations than horses with non-septic peritonitis and healthy horses. Compared with other tests, serum-to-peritoneal fluid glucose concentration differences >50 mg/dl had the highest diagnostic use for detection of septic peritonitis. Peritoneal fluid pH <7.3, glucose concentration <30 mg/dl and fibrinogen concentration >200 mg/dl were also highly indicative of septic peritonitis. It is concluded that these measurements can provide an early indication of sepsis, especially if cytological evaluation of peritoneal fluid is unavailable or results are equivocal and peritoneal fluid bacterial culture results are pending.