Abstract
Infections remain an important problem facing virtually all medical disciplines. This is no different with peritoneal dialysis (PD), where the prevention and treatment of peritonitis is a key part of care.
The International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) has been issuing recommendations on this subject since 1983. This year, their next updated version was published, which brings us some news.
New categories of peritonitis (associated with PD catheter, enteral, pre-PD peritonitis) have been defined. The requirement for a maximum peritonitis rate has been updated and tightened (0.4 episodes per year of treatment).
There is a greater emphasis on PD fluid drainage before invasive gastroenterological and gynecological examinations. Other preventive measures are the correction of hypokalaemia and the avoidance of H2-receptor antagonists.
In empirical antibiotic treatment, the possibility of using cefepime monotherapy is a novelty. It is recommended to add N-acetylcysteine routinely to aminoglycoside therapy to prevent ototoxicity.
There are also new approaches to refractory peritonitis, peritonitis caused by Corynebacteria and other agents. The published recommendations provide a valuable set of answers to the problems we often encounter in common practice.