When Should a Patient with Ascites Receive Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) Prophylaxis?

Bottom Line

Patients with ascites and a prior episode of SBP, and those admitted to the hospital for GI bleeding, should be placed on SBP prophylaxis. SBP prophylaxis for low protein ascitic fluid remains controversial but is recommended by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. TH

Dr. del Pino Jones is a hospitalist at the University of Colorado Denver.

References

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