Is cloudy peritoneal dialysate associated with adverse drug reactions to benidipine?

Abstract

Cloudiness in peritoneal dialysate is a key clinical indicator of peritonitis. However, distinguishing between turbidity caused by peritonitis and that induced by drug administration can be challenging. To better understand this phenomenon, data were collected between April 2020 and March 2023 from 287 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients undergoing benidipine-controlled blood pressure management in our PD center. Among these patients, 25 cases (8.71%) developed non-infectious chyloperitoneum as an adverse reaction to benidipine. Turbidity appeared, on average, 25.28 ± 60.55 days after starting benidipine. Switching to another antihypertensive drug cleared the dialysate within 12 to 36 hours. Laboratory results, including smears and cultures, were consistent with a non-infectious state. Elevated triglyceride (TG) levels were observed in the turbid dialysate (p < 0.0001), with a mean TG of 0.28 ± 0.17 mmol/L in cloudy samples, compared to 0.07 ± 0.03 mmol/L in clear samples. No significant changes in cholesterol or peripheral blood TG levels were found before or after the occurrence of turbidity. This study confirms that benidipine can cause non-infectious chyloperitoneum, underscoring the need for attention to adverse drug reactions to avoid unnecessary resource use. Further investigation is required to guide antihypertensive medication choices in PD patients.