1 From the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Nephrology, UCLA Center for Health Sciences, Los Angeles
The incidence of peritonitis in 29 children undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis during a 20-month period was one episode every 12.5 patient-months. Of the 20 episodes of peritonitis, seven (35%) were treated on an ambulatory basis, and 13 required patient hospitalization. The annualized hospitalization rate for the 29 patients during 252 patient-months was 3.8 days per patient. All patients recovered from peritonitis; the only complication was the need to replace two peritoneal catheters. These data would seem to indicate that the potential threat of peritonitis should not curtail continued utilization of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in children.
Key Words: peritonitis continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
Submitted on June 7, 1982
Accepted on July 15, 1982