Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis: Suggestions for Management and Mistakes to Avoid

Peritonitis is a common complication of peritoneal dialysis that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Peritonitis increases treatment costs and hospitalization events and is the most common reason for transfer to hemodialysis. Although there is much focus on preventing peritoneal dialysis–associated peritonitis, equally as important is appropriate management to minimize the morbidity of a peritonitis episode when it has occurred. Despite the presence of international guidelines on peritonitis treatment, the evidence base to support optimal peritonitis treatment practices is lacking, leaving the practitioner to rely on clinical experience and extrapolate from across other infection treatment practices. This article reviews common mistakes and misconceptions that we have observed in the management of peritonitis that may compromise treatment success. It also provides suggestions on common controversial aspects of peritonitis management based on the best available literature. Although the use of the word mistakes is somewhat controversial and subjective, we acknowledge that evidence is lacking and have based many of our suggestions on clinical judgment, experience, and available data.

Tuberculous Peritonitis in a Patient Undergoing Chronic Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD)

This report of tuberculous peritonitis in a CAPD patient is the eighth in the world's literature. A 54-year-old black woman presented with fever of recent onset and signs of an acute abdomen after 13 months of uncomplicated CAPD. After three weeks of investigation, supportive therapy, antibiotics and hemodialysis, a laparotomy established the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis. She responded promptly to antituberculous therapy.

Mycobacterium Chelonei Peritonitis in a Patient Undergoing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dial ysis (CAPD)

This paper describes a case of Mycobacterium chelonei peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The patient probably acquired the infection from tap water. He presented with cloudy effluent, abdominal pain and systemic toxicity. Originally, gram stain, Ziehl-Neelsen stain, aerobic and anaerobic cultures were negative. One week later, culture grew an aerobic, fast growing, acid fast bacterium, which later was identified as Mycobacterium chelonei. The peritonitis was treated successfully with erythromycin and catheter removal. The diagnosis of tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacterial peritonitis during CAPD can be difficult. Compared to usual bacterial peritonitis associated with CAPD, everything in these cases proves to be nonspecific. Mycobacterial infection should be suspected in all episodes of culture-negative peritonitis especially those which do not respond to usual antimicrobial therapy.

Tuberculous Peritonitis in a Cohort of Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Among 155 patients who were initiated on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), 4 patients (2 men, 2 women) developed tuberculous peritonitis. They had been on PD for between 2 months and 84 months when they developed the peritonitis. The Mantoux test was negative in all of them. The diagnosis was made by a variety of means in the various cases: demonstration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the peritoneal cavity; presence of caseating granuloma in a peritoneal biopsy; Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a cold abscess adjacent to the peritoneal cavity; and demonstration of IS6110 and MPB64 genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.

Two of the patients developed ultrafiltration failure. Among 3 patients who were switched to hemodialysis, 2 died and 1 continues on maintenance dialysis. The last patient, whose catheter was removed, was reimplanted with a new catheter and continues on PD without ultrafiltration failure.

Any patient with peritonitis unresponsive to conventional therapy should be investigated for tuberculous peritonitis. Institution of chemotherapy without delay will preserve peritoneal membrane integrity.

Renaissance of Tuberculosis in the 19905: Lessons for the Nephrologist

Objective

To call attention to the worldwide increase in tuberculosis and to review the disease in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Data Sources

Recent epidemiological publications.

Data Extraction

Epidemiological data summarized in tables and diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations reviewed.

Conclusions

Tuberculosis is on the rise worldwide. Multiple drug-resistant strains are emerging, causing therapeutic problems. The role of atypical mycobacterial infections in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is reviewed. Early diagnosis of cases and thorough chemotherapy are advocated.

Principles of Abdominal Surgery in Patients on Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis

Abdominal operations were required in 21 patients on intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD) -13 elective, eight emergency. There was one death in the elective group (inguinal herniorrhaphy) and four deaths in the emergency group (three spontaneous colonic perforations and one strangulated ventral hernia). Wound complications occurred in seven patients. Wounds require secure, watertight closure to prevent dialysis leak. In elective abdominal surgery, IPD should be carried out shortly before operation to delay dialysis for a few days after operation and also to decrease platelet dysfunction. Hernias should be repaired electively. Constipation should be avoided. Preoperative transfusion for anemia is generally unnecessary. Drains should be avoided or removed before resumption of IPD. Postoperative IPD should be done with one-liter exchanges. In certain instances, transfer to hemodialysis is indicated.

Mycobacterium tuberculous peritonitis in CAPD patients: a report of 11 patients and review of literature

BACKGROUND

The aims of the present report were to document our experience of the prevalence of tuberculous peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, mode of presentation, diagnosis and outcome and to discuss the current published data about catheter removal.

METHODS

A retrospective study of CAPD patients with tuberculous peritonitis was done. A minimum of three specimens of peritoneal fluid were examined for acid-fast bacilli smears. The BACTEC 9000 Blood Culture Series of instruments were used for the culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. After 2005, patients were treated with anti-tuberculous treatment, and catheter retention was started in our patients.

RESULTS

There were eleven patients (2.6 %) with tuberculous peritonitis among 414 CAPD patients. M. tuberculosis accounted for 4.47 % of all peritonitis episodes. The incidence of tuberculous peritonitis was 1/794 months. There were eight males and three females. The mean age was 49 years. Intestinal obstruction was reported in two patients, and two patients were treated for antecedent peritonitis. One of them had a simultaneous fungal peritonitis. One patient each developed a peritoneo-cutaneous fistula and ultrafiltration failure. Three were successfully treated without the removal of catheter.

CONCLUSION

Based on the analysis of all published reports of tuberculous peritonitis, there was no significant difference in patient survival between patients in whom CAPD catheter was removed or retained. Tuberculous peritonitis should be considered in patients with neutrophilic 'sterile' peritonitis with no response to antibacterial medications, predominance of lymphocytic peritonitis and in bacterial peritonitis not responding to antibiotics. After an early diagnosis, with close monitoring, an effort to retain the catheter after 5 days of anti-tuberculous therapy may be attempted.

The prevalence and clinical features of tuberculous peritonitis in CAPD patients in Turkey, report of ten cases from multi-centers

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rate, risk factors and outcome of Tuberculous Peritonitis (TBP) in patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in our units.

DESIGN

Retrospectively, we reviewed the medical data of all CAPD patients from 12 centers for TBP, covering the period between 1986 and December 2002.

SETTING

All patients were from 12 renal clinics at tertiary-care university hospitals.

RESULTS

Ten cases of TBP were identified among the CAPD patients in our centers. There were five male and five female patients with a mean age of 37.2 years. None of the patients had tuberculosis history, 6 patients had predominance of PNL. One patient had coincidental bacterial peritonitis. Two patients were successfully treated without the removal of the Tenckhoff catheter.

CONCLUSION

TBP in CAPD patients is a very rare complication. In contrast to predominance of lymphocytes in nonuremic patients with tuberculous peritonitis, CAPD patients with tuberculous peritonitis may have predominance of PNL on examination of the peritoneal fluid. Since TBP has high morbidity and mortality, early diagnosis and treatment of disease are extremely important for improving outcome.

Tuberculous peritonitis in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: case report and review

A case of tuberculous peritonitis complicating continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in a 37-year-old man who presented with fever, abdominal pain, and a malfunctioning Tenckhoff catheter is reported. The patient was initially treated for presumed bacterial peritonitis but remained febrile and had persistent abdominal pain and peritoneal fluid pleocytosis, despite broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated in a culture of peritoneal fluid, and the patient responded promptly to antituberculous therapy. More than 50 cases of tuberculous peritonitis complicating CAPD that have been reported in the English-language literature since the initial case was reported in 1980 are reviewed. The most common symptoms are fever (78%), abdominal pain (92%), and cloudy dialysate (90%); 76% of cases had a predominance of polymorphonuclear cells in peritoneal fluid. A smear for acid-fast bacilli or a culture was positive in 73% of cases. The peritoneal dialysis catheter was removed in 53% of cases, although this was rarely considered necessary for cure of tuberculosis. The attributable mortality rate is 15%, with the most significant factor being treatment delay (mean time from presentation to initiation of treatment, 6.74 weeks). We conclude that tuberculosis is an important diagnostic consideration for CAPD patients with peritonitis that is refractory to broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Optimal treatment and long-term outcome of tuberculous peritonitis complicating continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

A retrospective study of the treatment and short- and long-term outcomes of tuberculous peritonitis (TBP) complicating continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) among our dialysis patients over a 6-year period was performed. Ten cases of TBP complicating CAPD were identified among 601 dialysis patients between January 1988 and December 1994. There were four male and six female patients. The most common clinical features were abdominal pain, fever, and cloudy peritoneal fluid (PDF). Two patients had concurrent bacterial peritonitis. Extraperitoneal tuberculosis was not observed. The majority of the patients showed neutrophil predominance in the PDF. Only one patient had a positive acid-fast bacilli smear of the PDF. The acid-fast bacilli culture of the PDF was positive in all patients. The patients were treated with isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide for 9 to 12 months (mean, 11 months). Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was continued in all patients. Two patients died, one from multiorgan failure at 2 months and the other from sudden cardiac death at 9 months. Two patients were converted to hemodialysis at 3 months. Six patients continued to receive CAPD after completion of the antituberculous treatment. Four of these six patients were still alive 5 years after the TBP. Three patients were still undergoing CAPD with satisfactory ultrafiltration and solute clearance. None of the patients developed relapse of TBP. We concluded that (1) TBP is a rare but important complication of CAPD, (2) removal of the Tenckhoff catheter is not mandatory in the management of TBP complicating CAPD, and (3) long-term continuation of CAPD is possible after TBP.

Agrobacterium radiobacter peritonitis in two patients maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis

We report two patients with end-stage renal disease maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis who developed peritonitis in which the infecting organism was Agrobacterium radiobacter, normally a rare pathogen in humans. Both patients initially responded to antibiotics, but later relapsed and required catheter removal. Neither had been exposed to soil or plant material. A radiobacter is yet another of a growing list of unusual organisms that infect the peritoneal cavity of peritoneal dialysis patients.

Peritoneal dialysis-associated tuberculous peritonitis in an intravenous drug user with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

A rare case of tuberculous peritonitis in a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient who has multiple risk factors for extrapulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis is presented. This patient' acute course was atypical with a predominance of neutrophils and low levels of protein in the peritoneal fluid. Obtaining the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis by acid-fast smear was also unusual, probably facilitated by centrifugation of large amounts of fluid. The patient was successfully treated without catheter removal. Tuberculosis should be considered in patients with culture-negative CAPD peritonitis.

Tuberculous peritonitis in a CAPD patient cured without catheter removal: case report, review of the literature, and guidelines for treatment and diagnosis

Tuberculous peritonitis in the chronic peritoneal dialysis patient carries a high mortality, which may reflect the diagnostic delay that is often encountered in these cases. Accordingly, a high index of suspicion and an aggressive diagnostic approach (which may include laparoscopic biopsy) should be applied to the patient with persistent culture negative peritonitis. One of the first continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) cases involving tuberculous peritonitis successfully treated without interruption of dialysis or removal of the peritoneal dialysis catheter is reported. The literature is reviewed to provide diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines in dealing with this serious infection.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a cause of peritonitis in a patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Tuberculous peritonitis is reported in an Asian immigrant undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Unusual laboratory findings which resulted in delayed diagnosis are described.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

We report two patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in whom peritonitis developed and nontuberculous mycobacteria were isolated from peritoneal fluid. In one, Mycobacterium avium-intracellularis was the only organism isolated. Despite a three-month course of antibiotics to which the organism showed in vitro sensitivity, there was no apparent response. The patient died, and an autopsy showed disseminated mycobacterial disease. In the second case, Mycobacterium fortuitum and diphtheroids were isolated from the peritoneal fluid. Although it was not clear that the mycobacterium was solely responsible for the peritonitis in the second case, the infection failed to resolve with antibiotic therapy appropriate for diphtheroids. This patient also died. Both patients had indolent, chronic infections, although there was granulocyte predominance in the peritoneal fluid. Both had involvement of the catheter exit site. To our knowledge, these are the first reported cases of nontuberculous mycobacterial peritonitis in CAPD patients. We recommend evaluation for mycobacteria, including cultures and stains of dialysate specimens, in all cases of CAPD-associated peritonitis where no organism is identified, or where no improvement is noted after 48 hours of therapy. Repeated cultures for mycobacteria are appropriate for suggestive cases. Since these infections are difficult to treat, it may be prudent to remove the dialysis catheter if they are isolated.