SERUM ASCITES ALBUMIN GRADIENT (SAAG)

SAAG IS A SIMPLE CALCULATION USED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN TRANSUDATIVE AND EXUDATIVE ASCITES, TWO TYPES OF FLUID ACCUMULATION IN THE ABDOMEN. IT INVOLVES SUBTRACTING THE ALBUMIN LEVEL IN THE ASCITES FLUID FROM THE SERUM ALBUMIN LEVEL. A SAAG VALUE LESS THAN 1.1 G/DL SUGGESTS EXUDATIVE ASCITES, WHICH IS OFTEN CAUSED BY INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS, INFECTIONS, OR CANCER. A SAAG VALUE GREATER THAN 1.1 G/DL INDICATES TRANSUDATIVE ASCITES, WHICH IS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH CONDITIONS THAT INCREASE HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE, SUCH AS CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, CIRRHOSIS, OR NEPHROTIC SYNDROME. SAAG IS A VALUABLE TOOL IN DETERMINING THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF ASCITES AND GUIDING APPROPRIATE TREATMENT.