OBJECTIVE: Peritonitis is the most important complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). We evaluated the incidence of peritonitis, active microorganisms and their susceptibility profi le and determine prognosis.
MATERIAL and METHODS: One hundred fi fty three PD patients were evaluated for aetiology, drug usage, accompanying disease, type, duration and personal preference for PD, care-giver, protein catabolic rate (PCR), residual urine volume, ultrafi ltration volume, type of peritoneal membrane transport and baseline laboratory values.
RESULTS: The incidence of peritonitis was 0,284 attack/patient/year. The most common organisms were coagulase negative staphylococci (18.3%) followed by S. aureus (14.8%) and gram-negative bacillus (13.1%). Peritonitis was more common in elderly, those with longer PD duration, low residual urine volume, patients with low PCR and hepatitis C. However, patients using erythropoietin and automated PD had low incidence of peritonitis compared to others. Mortality rate was higher in gram-negative and fungal peritonitis and prognosis was worse in gramnegative peritonitis
CONCLUSION: Peritonitis incidence and aetiology were compatible with literature. One must be careful to protect residual renal function (RRF) as peritonitis incidence was signifi cantly reduced in patients with RRF. PCR values were signifi cantly lower in peritonitis. Adequate protein intake and nutritional support may be important in this respect.