Linz distinguished new forms of authoritarianism from personalistic dictatorships and totalitarian states, taking Francoist Spain as an example.
The most common cause of ascites is advanced liver disease or cirrhosis. Approximately 80% of the ascites cases are thought to be due to cirrhosis. Although the exact mechanism of ascites development is not completely understood, most theories suggest portal hypertension (increased pressure in the liver blood flow) as the main contributor.
What is the cause of this patient's severe, painful ascites? Painful, severe ascites can be due to peritoneal diseases such as malignancy or tuberculosis. In such cases, however, the peritoneal fluid usually shows cells suggesting inflammation or malignancy. This patient's ascitic fluid had very few cells.