Clinical outcome of 371 episodes of peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis

Objective To analyze the clinical outcome of PD related peritonitis in our center. Methods All patients who developed PD related peritonitis between January 2004 and December 2010 in Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were included. Outcomes of PD related peritonitis were analyzed. Results A total of 220 patients developed 371 episodes of PD related peritonitis during the study period in our center, and the average peritonitis rate was one episode per every 54.4 patient-months. Among the 371 episodes of peritonitis, 285 (76.8%) episodes had been cured, 17 (4.6%) episodes had needed temporary hemodialysis (HD), 46 (12.4%) episodes had led to switch to permanent HD and 21 (5.7%) episodes had caused death. After refractory peritonitis, there was a significant reduction of 4 h ultrafiltration (330 vs 270 ml, P＝0.036) and an increase tendency of 4h D/Pcr (0.55±0.08 vs 0.58±0.10, P＝0.086). Conclusions Peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis is an important contributor to technique failure and death in Chinese PD patients. Refractory peritonitis might injure peritoneal membrane function.