Mrs Robyn Rogers1, Associate Professor Ken-Soon Tan1
1Logan Renal Services, Meadowbrook, Australia
Introduction
Peritonitis is a known major cause of peritoneal dialysis (PD) technique failure, as well as a leading cause of hospitalisation. There are many reported risk factors, modifiable and non-modifiable. We reviewed our PD unit’s non-peritonitis patient group with our peritonitis patient group, evaluating demographic and physical differences and therefore identify patients at greater risk for peritonitis episodes.
Method
All peritonitis episodes were reviewed from 1st January 2016 to 30th June 2019. During this study period, 47 of 134 incident patients, had a total of 72 episodes of peritonitis. Patient demographics and physical factors were studied, including ethnicity, dialysis type, age, gender, diabetic status, BMI, serum albumin and potassium. This data was then compared with the same factors in our non-peritonitis PD population.
Results
Initial review of data collected from our patient population, indicated that the peritonitis group of patients were predominately male, diabetic and on APD. Caucasian, Pacific Islander/Maori/ Indian patients had more episodes of peritonitis compared to our Asian and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander patients.
However, further regression analysis when calculated, did not show statistically significant differences in these factors, probably due to limited study numbers.
Conclusion
Interventions can be made to improve modifiable risk factors; however, the non-modifiable risk factors present more of a challenge. Awareness of other demographical non-modifiable risk factors allows early identification of patients that may be at a greater risk for peritonitis.
Biography:
I have been working as a Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Logan Hospital Peritoneal Dialysis Unit for the last 10 years, but have been worked across various areas of Nephrology including CKD, Pre-dialysis and Haemodialysis for 30 years. I enjoy teaching motivated patients to fully care for their dialysis needs at home and embrace any new technology or methods to help them achieve their goals and maintain their independence.