Flexibility in peritoneal dialysis prescription: Impact on technique survival.

BACKGROUND: Patient burnout is a major cause of technique failure on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Reducing the PD prescription on an individual basis, dependent upon residual kidney function (RKF), may have a role in prolonging time on PD by reducing dialysis burden. This retrospective study aimed to determine the safety and impact of flexible PD prescribing on technique and patient survival. METHODS: All patients (186) from our centre starting PD from 1st January 2012 to 31st December 2016 were included. Data on dialysis prescription were collected for each patient from the time they had started PD, and dialysis adequacy measured regularly (3-6 monthly) using PD Adequest. RESULTS: Median age at start of dialysis was 61 years. Only 49% started on PD 7 days a week and this dropped to 27% at 3 months following the first clearance test. Over 90% achieved creatinine clearance > 50 L/week/1.73 m2 up to 2 years of follow-up, with 87% achieving this standard at 3 years. Patient and technique survival at 1, 2 and 3 years were 91%, 81%, and 72%, and 89%, 87% and 78% respectively. Factors on univariate analysis affecting technique survival included increasing age (HR 0.98, p = 0.04, 95% CI (0.96-0.999)), two or more episodes of PD-associated peritonitis (HR 4.52, p = 0.00, 95% CI (1.87-10.91)) and increasing PD intensity (HR 3.30, p = 0.02, 95% CI (1.22-8.93)). After multivariate adjustment which included baseline kidney function, low PD intensity continued to be associated with better technique survival (HR 0.17, p = 0.03, 95% CI (0.03-0.85)). CONCLUSION: Tailoring the PD prescription to RKF enables days off dialysis while still maintaining recommended levels of small solute clearance. This approach reduces dialysis burden and is associated with higher technique survival.

Repeat Peritoneal Dialysis Exit-Site Infection: Definition and Outcomes.

Background:The most common complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD) is infection. Despite this, there are no clear guidelines for the management of repeat exit-site infection (ESI), and best practice is not known. We describe our unit's experience of repeat ESI and clinical outcomes in this cohort.Methods:Retrospective case note review of all PD patients with positive ESI swabs at our center between 1 January 2012 and 1 January 2018. Patients were included in the study if they had 2 or more ESI with the same organism within a 12-month period and an initial positive response to antibiotic therapy.Results:Overall, 31 of 248 patients had repeat ESI. The 2 most common causative organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 16, 52%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 10, 32%). Twenty (65%) patients developed subsequent peritonitis. The infection resolved with further antibiotics alone in 10 (32%) patients and in 6 patients after PD catheter exchange. The PD catheter was removed in 16 (52%) patients (including 5 after an initial catheter exchange) requiring transfer to hemodialysis (HD). Six (19%) patients died within 12 months of repeat ESI. Both repeat Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus infections were associated with high rates of dialysis modality change (70% and 50%, respectively).Conclusion:We have developed the first definition for repeat ESI. Repeat ESI is clinically important and results in significant morbidity and mortality. Following repeat ESI, peritonitis rates are high and a significant number of patients switch dialysis modality. Studies are needed to determine whether interventions such as early catheter exchange would improve outcomes.