Peritonitis among Patients on Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis: A Three-Year Experience at the Santo Tomas University Hospital (STUH)*

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains one the most commonly employed forms of chronic renal replacement therapy. Intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD) is an economical form of PD that uses multiple short exchanges of dialysate on an intermittent basis. Peritonitis is a common clinical problem that occurs in patients undergoing PD. However, no local data exist regarding the clinical profile of peritonitis associated with IPD. A retrospective study of adult end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients aged 18-68, at the Clinical Division of STUH from October 1997 to September 2000 who had been on IPD for a period of at least three months but who did not stay for more than 60 hours per IPD session in the hospital was undertaken to describe IPD-associated peritonitis in terms of its peritonitis rate and its microbial profile such as Gram stain results, specific isolates, and outcome after treatment. Records were reviewed regarding the peritonitis episodes, Gram stain and culture results and outcome after therapy The peritonitis rate for the study group was 0.0824 episodes per patient-months at risk. Seven (22.5%) episodes showed a positive gram stain result with four Gram-negatives and three Gram-positives. Gram stain of the remaining 24 cases yielded no organisms. All 31 AFB smears were negative. Culture and sensitivity was done to only 4 episodes of peritonitis with one culture positive for gram-negative bacilli. Majority of patients, 70.96% responded to antimicrobial therapy. IPD remains to be a good economical alternative to CAPD among indigent patients at the Santo Tomas University Hospital with peritonitis rate comparable to CAPD. Due to poor Gram stain yield, the most common organisms were not known. [Phil J Microbiol Infect Dis 31(3):101-106]