Does prior abdominal surgery influence peritoneal transport characteristics or technique survival of peritoneal dialysis patients?

[Abstract] Introduction: Prior abdominal surgery may result in peritoneal membrane adhesions and fibrosis, compromising the success of peritoneal dialysis (PD). The impact of this factor on peritoneal membrane function and PD technique survival has not been adequately investigated. Methods: Following an observational, retrospective design, we studied 171 incident PD patients, with the main objective of analyzing the influence of prior abdominal surgical procedures (main study variable) on baseline and evolutionary peritoneal transport characteristics (main outcome) and PD patient and technique survival (secondary outcomes). Abdominal surgeries were categorized according to the degree of presumed injury to the peritoneal membrane. We also considered the additive effect of aggressions to the membrane during the first year on PD therapy. Results: All patients had a baseline peritoneal equilibration test with complete drainage at 60′, and 113 patients had a second study at the end of the first year. Sixty-one patients (35.7%) had a record of prior abdominal surgery, including 29 patients with at least one major intraperitoneal surgery, 22 having undergone minor intraperitoneal procedures, and 21 with a background of major abdominopelvic extraperitoneal surgery. We did not observe differences, at baseline or after 1 year, among patients with or without previous abdominal procedures regarding small solute transport, overall capacity of ultrafiltration, free water transport, small pore ultrafiltration, or peritoneal protein excretion. Stratified analysis, considering prior and first-year-on-PD peritoneal aggressions, did not reveal any differences, although in this case our analysis was hampered by a limited statistical power. Abdominal surgical events did not influence patient or PD technique survival. Conclusion: Prior abdominal surgical procedures do not appear to compromise peritoneal membrane function or technique survival in patients successfully started on PD

Long-Term Trends in the Incidence of Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis Disclose an Increasing Relevance of Streptococcal Infections: A Longitudinal Study

[Abstract} Background. The selective impact of strategies for prevention of PD-related peritonitis (PDrP) may have modified, in the long term, the causal spectrum, clinical presentation and outcomes of these infections. Objectives. To compare trends in the incidence of PDrP by different microorganisms during a 30-year period, with a particular focus on streptococcal infections. To analyze the clinical presentation and outcomes of these infections. Secondarily, to investigate how the isolation of different species of streptococci can influence the clinical course of PDrP by this genus of bacteria. Method. Following a retrospective, observational design we investigated 1061 PDrP (1990–2019). We used joinpoint regression analysis to explore trends in the incidence of PDrP by different microorganisms, and compared the risk profile (Cox), clinical presentation and outcomes (logistic regression) of these infections. Main results. Our data showed a progressive decline in the incidence of PDrP by staphylococci and Gram negative bacteria, while the absolute rates of streptococcal (average annual percent change +1.6%, 95% CI -0.1/+3.2) and polymicrobial (+1.8%, +0.1/+3.5) infections tended to increase, during the same period. Remarkably, streptococci were isolated in 58.6% of polymicrobial infections, and patients who suffered a streptococcal PDrP had a 35.8% chance of presenting at least one other infection by the same genus. The risk profile for streptococcal infections was comparable to that observed for PDrP overall. Streptococcal PDrP were associated with a severe initial inflammatory response, but their clinical course was generally nonaggressive thereafter. We did not observe a differential effect of different groups of streptococci on the clinical presentation or outcome of PDrP. Conclusions. Time trends in the incidence of PDrP by different microorganisms have granted streptococci an increasing relevance as causative agents of these infections, during the last three decades. This behaviour suggests that current measures of prevention of PDrP may not be sufficiently effective, in the case of this genus of microorganisms