الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Cirrhosis is the formation of regenerative nodules encapsulated by fibrous septae due to continuous hepatic injury, it can amount to hepatocellular dysfunction and portal hypertension. In the compensated stage, portal pressure is below the level needed for formation of ascites. As the condition progresses, the portal pressure increases while the liver function decreases, causing ascites formation which can be complicated by SBP
SBP is an infection in ascitic fluid without an apparent secondary source. It occurs due to dysbiosis and bacterial translocation into the ascitic fluid. SBP is suspected in the presence of abdominal pain, fever, unexplained decompensation in a cirrhotic patient with ascites. SBP occurs in 10-30% of ascitic patients, with a 20% in-hospital mortality rate.
Cirrhotic patients commonly suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin mainly synthesized after cutaneous exposure to UV rays from the sun. It exihibits pleiotropic effect on human health and is responsible for calcium homeostasis and bone calcification. Also, it was recently implicated in many liver diseases along with a crucial role in immunity.
The aim of this work is to assess the relation between 25- hydroxy vitamin D level, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and severity of liver dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis.
This study was carried out on 50 patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites, 25 patients having liver cirrhosis, ascites with SBP (group I) and 25 patients having liver cirrhosis, ascites without SBP (group II).Patients with other infections, on immunosuppressive therapy or on vitamin D supplement, patients with other medical conditions causing vitamin D deficiency such as chronic kidney disease, patients with previous attacks of SBP, patients with low ascitic protein content(<1g/dl) and patients with active GI bleeding were all excluded from the study.