Ascites epidemiology and demographics
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Eiman Ghaffarpasand, M.D. [2]
Overview
Overview
The incidence of ascites is approximately 60,000 per 100,000 individuals with cirrhosis worldwide. The incidence of ascites is approximately 75,000 per 100,000 cirrhotic individuals with a mortality rate of 50%, within 3 years. Patients of all age groups may develop ascites. Cirrhotic ascites usually affects individuals of the non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans race. Males are more commonly affected by cirrhotic ascites than females. The male to female ratio is approximately 2.5 to 1.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Epidemiology and Demographics
Incidence
- The incidence of ascites is approximately 60,000 per 100,000 individuals with cirrhosis worldwide.[1]
- Among patients with ascites 8,000 to 35,000 per 100,000 individuals would involve in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP).[2]
- The incidence of chylous ascites is approximately 5 per 100,000 individuals worldwide.[3]
Prevalence
- The prevalence of ascites is approximately 75,000 per 100,000 individuals with cirrhosis in Western countries.[4]
- The prevalence of cirrhosis, malignancy, heart failure, tuberculosis, and nephrotic syndrome is approximately 81,000, 10,000, 3,000, 2,000, and 1,000 per 100,000 individuals with ascites worldwide, respectively.[5]
Case-fatality rate/Mortality rate
- The incidence of ascites is approximately 75,000 per 100,000 cirrhotic individuals with a mortality rate of 50%, within 3 years.[6]
- Survival from ascites majorly depends on severity of portal hypertension, liver failure, and circulation dysfunction.[4]
Age
- Patients of all age groups may develop ascites.
Race
- There is no racial predilection to ascites.
- Cirrhotic ascites usually affects individuals of the non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans race.[7]
Gender
- Ascites affects men and women equally.
- Males are more commonly affected by cirrhotic ascites than females. The male to female ratio is approximately 2.5 to 1.[7]
Region
References
References
- ↑ Ginés P, Quintero E, Arroyo V, Terés J, Bruguera M, Rimola A, Caballería J, Rodés J, Rozman C (1987). “Compensated cirrhosis: natural history and prognostic factors”. Hepatology. 7 (1): 122–8. PMID 3804191.
- ↑ Caly WR, Strauss E (1993). “A prospective study of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis”. J. Hepatol. 18 (3): 353–8. PMID 8228129.
- ↑ Press OW, Press NO, Kaufman SD (1982). “Evaluation and management of chylous ascites”. Ann. Intern. Med. 96 (3): 358–64. PMID 7059101.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pedersen JS, Bendtsen F, Møller S (2015). “Management of cirrhotic ascites”. Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 6 (3): 124–37. doi:10.1177/2040622315580069. PMC 4416972. PMID 25954497.
- ↑ Runyon BA, Montano AA, Akriviadis EA, Antillon MR, Irving MA, McHutchison JG (1992). “The serum-ascites albumin gradient is superior to the exudate-transudate concept in the differential diagnosis of ascites”. Ann. Intern. Med. 117 (3): 215–20. PMID 1616215.
- ↑ Fernández-Esparrach G, Sánchez-Fueyo A, Ginès P, Uriz J, Quintó L, Ventura PJ, Cárdenas A, Guevara M, Sort P, Jiménez W, Bataller R, Arroyo V, Rodés J (2001). “A prognostic model for predicting survival in cirrhosis with ascites”. J. Hepatol. 34 (1): 46–52. PMID 11211907.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Scaglione S, Kliethermes S, Cao G, Shoham D, Durazo R, Luke A, Volk ML (2015). “The Epidemiology of Cirrhosis in the United States: A Population-based Study”. J. Clin. Gastroenterol. 49 (8): 690–6. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000000208. PMID 25291348.
Looking for the patient version?
© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH