The utility of prolonged culture of peritoneal dialysis effluent in the diagnosis and management of peritonitis.

In this prospective study we examined the effect of prolonging cultures of peritoneal dialysis fluid to 21 days. The extended culture period did not lead to any new or clinically important findings, although late culture findings were obtained in a small number of cases. Prolonged culture of the effluent does not appear to be necessary, although it can lead to extended duration of antibiotic therapy if time on therapy is guided by the first negative effluent culture.