Objective: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has become more prevalent as a treatment modality for end-stage renal disease, and peritonitis remains one of its most devastating complications. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the frequency and predictors of peritonitis and the impact of peritonitis on clinical outcomes. ♢
Methods: Our retrospective observational cohort study enrolled 391 patients who had been treated with continuous ambulatory PD (CAPD) for at least 90 days. Relevant demographic, biochemical, and clinical data were collected for an analysis of CAPD-associated peritonitis, technique failure, drop-out from PD, and patient mortality. ♢
Results: The peritonitis rate was 0.196 episodes per patient-year. Older age (>65 years) was the only identified risk factor associated with peritonitis. A multivariate Cox regression model demonstrated that technique failure occurred more often in patients experiencing peritonitis than in those free of peritonitis (p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the group experiencing peritonitis tended to survive longer than the group that was peritonitis-free (p = 0.11). After multivariate adjustment, the survival advantage reached significance (hazard ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.46 to 0.89; p = 0.006). Compared with the peritonitis-free group, the group experiencing peritonitis also had more drop-out from PD (p = 0.03). ♢
Conclusions: The peritonitis rate was relatively low in the present investigation. Elderly patients were at higher risk of peritonitis episodes. Peritonitis independently predicted technique failure, in agreement with other reports. However, contrary to previous studies, all-cause mortality was better in patients experiencing peritonitis than in those free of peritonitis. The underlying mechanisms of this presumptive "peritonitis paradox" remain to be clarified.
Keywords: CAPD; Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; microbiology; patient survival; peritonitis; technique failure.