Rates and causes of peritonitis in a National Multicenter Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis program in Sudan: first-year experience.

This is a cumulative report of all patients in six centers in Greater Khartoum, all three cities that comprise the capital of Sudan, covering the first year of operation of the National Program. This study evaluates the rates, mechanisms, causative agents and clinical outcomes of peritonitis. We included the data of all 60 patients who underwent CAPD from June 2005 to June 2006. There were 15 episodes of peritonitis in 323 patient-months, which equates to an overall peritonitis rate of one episode every 21.5 months (0.55 episodes per year at risk). The individual center rates varied. There was a statistically significant age difference, with peritonitis being more common in the youngsters. All patients presented with abdominal pain and had cloudy effluents but none had a significant exit site or tunnel infection. Fluid cultures were available in 11 out of the 15 episodes of peritonitis. The cultures were positive for organisms in only 3 out of 11 (27%) cases. Two patients were infected by Pseudomonas aerogenosa and one patient by Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, the culture-negative peritonitis rate was 8/11 (73%). Touch contamination was the likely mechanism in 7/15 (46.7%) of the episodes. There were three cases of refractory peritonitis and only one case of relapsing peritonitis. None of the patients had a catheter removed because of peritonitis. We conclude that the first year of operation of the Sudan National Multi-centered PD program has proven that it is a promising project with multifaceted success. The cumulative peritonitis incidence is acceptable although there are several areas for improvement. Standardized laboratory techniques need to be implemented and pursued, particularly in the microbiology area.

Peritoneal dialysis in the Sudan.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease is a significant social and economic burden on the Sudan. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) was recently introduced as a national service and is provided free of charge by the Federal State. We present here an overview of our experience and outcomes after the first 20 months of operation of the National Program, displaying its organization and patient and technique survival, peritonitis rates, and adequacy parameters of the first patients to undergo CAPD. METHODS: As a national experiment, the program was sequentially launched in 5 adult and 2 pediatric centers in Khartoum, the capital city of the country. The data include the entire 111 patients who underwent CAPD from June 2005 to January 2007. All data were reported to, and analyzed at, the head office of the Sudan National Peritoneal Dialysis Program. RESULTS: CAPD is the modality exclusively utilized thus far. Automated PD will be added to the program this year. By 30 January 2007, the total number of patients enrolled was 111. Their age range was 1 - 75 (median 56) years. 20 patients (18%) were shifted to hemodialysis and 5 patients received living related kidney transplants. Two died of severe septicemia due to peritonitis; 16 (14%) others died of non-PD-related causes. There were 60 cases of peritonitis in 839 patient-months, which equates to an overall peritonitis rate of 1 episode every 14 months (0.87 episodes per year at risk). The individual center rates varied. A critical review of cases at the end of the first year showed a statistically significant age difference, with peritonitis being more common in the younger patients. Mean age of patients that developed peritonitis was 30.53 years, whereas that for peritonitis-free patients was 44.09 years (p = 0.025). All patients that had peritonitis presented with abdominal pain and had a cloudy effluent; none had exit-site or tunnel infection. The culture-negative peritonitis rate was 53%. Pseudomonas species were responsible for 13.3% and Staphylococcus aureus for 6.7%. Touch contamination was the likely mechanism behind 46.7% of the episodes. There were 3 cases of refractory peritonitis and a single case of relapsing peritonitis. Concerning PD adequacy, average Kt/V urea was 1.74; weekly creatinine clearance was 62.5 L/1.73 m(2). Average normalized protein catabolic rate, as a measure of dietary protein intake in patients in a steady state, was 1.17 g/kg. These measures indicate that the overall program adequacy was satisfactory and the values fall within the recommended ranges. CONCLUSION: The first 20 months of operation of the Sudan's National Peritoneal Dialysis Program have proven that it is a promising project with multifaceted success. The adequacy indicators are acceptable but the cumulative peritonitis incidence is above that recommended, indicating several areas for potential improvement. Although CAPD is highly cost-effective, ongoing difficulties, including the cost of medications and laboratory tests, are being sorted out with official support and public involvement.