Ascitic fluid analysis
| Parameter | Key Findings | Common Causes |
| Appearance | Clear/Straw-Coloured | Cirrhosis |
|  | Cloudy/Turbid | Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) |
|  | Milky (Chylous) | Lymphatic obstruction (e.g., lymphoma, malignancy, Tuberculosis |
|  | Bloody | Traumatic tap, malignancy, ruptured vessel |
| SAAG (>1.1 g/dL) | Portal hypertension | Cirrhosis, Budd-Chiari syndrome |
| SAAG (<1.1 g/dL) | No portal hypertension | Peritoneal carcinomas, TB, pancreatic ascites |
| Total Protein (>4 g/dL) | High protein | TB, SBP |
| Glucose (<50 mg/dL) | Low glucose | TB, malignancy |
| Amylase | Elevated amylase | Pancreatic ascites |
| WCC (>250/dL) | High WCC | SBP (predominantly neutrophils), TB (predominantly lymphocytes) |
| Culture | Positive | SBP, secondary peritonitis |
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