Abstract
The treatment of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis has been a matter of extensive investigation, frequently generating therapeutic trials. Several combinations of antibiotics have served as newer protocols and tended to be efficacious, comfortable, and cost-effective. According to the more recent recommendations from the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis, the rationale for empirical initial therapy of clinically detected peritonitis in PD patients has been to follow the bacterial profile derived from cultured specimens of PD effluents.
The current study describes 5 year's experience with the use of a new antibiotic regimen for the treatment of peritonitis. We herein analyze the outcome of 95 episodes of peritonitis in 54 patients on either automated PD or continuous ambulatory PD at the dialysis unit of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis was treated with the combination of oral ciprofloxacin and intraperitoneal cefazolin. The observed cure rate was 85.2% and the sensitivity test was observed to be positive for this combination of antibiotics in 88.9% of positive cultures. Of the 14 unsuccessful episodes, 7 were due to catheter colonization and the rest did not respond to the proposed therapy within 48 hours. These 7 cases were also related to peritoneal fluid cultures that were resistant to both ciprofloxacin and cefazolin.
From this study, we propose this combination of oral ciprofloxacin and intraperitoneal cefazolin as a first choice for empirical initial therapy of PD-related peritonitis, given its efficacy and low cost. However, in order to apply the most adequate cost-effective therapy, careful examination of the bacterial profile and sensitivities to antibiotics used in each unit is strongly recommended.
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