PREVALENCE AND AETIOLOGIES OF ASCITES IN MEDICAL PATIENTS: A FIVE YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY AT THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL BAMENDA, CAMEROON

Abstract

Introduction: Ascitesis a common clinicalsyndrome and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients due to its frequent complications. It is frequently reported in the context of decompensated liver cirrhosis, but non-cirrhotic causes are becoming frequent. The aim of this research was to study the prevalence and aetiologies of ascites in hospitalized medical patients in the Regional Hospital Bamenda.
Materials and methods: we carried out a hospital based crosssectionalstudy that ran from November 2024 to June 2025. Files
of adult medical patients hospitalized from 2020 to 2024 (retrospectively), and consenting adults hospitalized in the interna medicine units of the Regional Hospital Bamenda from January to May 2025 were included. Data were consecutively collected using a predesigned questionnaire on: sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, aetiologies and complicationsin patients with ascites, and then analysed using R statistical software version 4.2. Categorical variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages, while continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation.

Results: During this study period, a total of 7397 patients were hospitalized. Of these, 280 had ascites giving a prevalence of
3.79%. The mean age of participants was 51±18.5 years with a sex ratio of 0.9. Heart failure (32.4%); decompensated liver cirrhosis
(27.2%); malignancy (11.7%); and nephrotic syndrome (9.75%) were the most common identified aetiologies. Meanwhile, hyponatremia (26.6%), hypotension (17.2%), acute kidney injury (15.0%) and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (10.7%) were frequently identified complications.
Conclusion: The prevalence of ascites was 3.79% in this studied Cameroonian population with right heart failure, decompensated
liver cirrhosis, malignancy and nephrotic syndrome as the most common aetiologies. Hyponatremia, hypotension, acute kidney
injury and spontaneous bacteria peritonitis were the most identified complications.