Research article

Streptococcal peritonitis in Australian peritoneal dialysis patients: predictors, treatment and outcomes in 287 cases

Stacey O'Shea^1,2 , Carmel M Hawley^1,2 , Stephen P McDonald^1,3 , Fiona G Brown^1,4 , Johan B Rosman^1,5 , Kathryn J Wiggins^1,6 , Kym M Bannister^1,7 and David W Johnson^1,2

¹Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry, Adelaide, Australia

²Department of Renal Medicine, University of Queensland at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia

³Department of Nephrology & Transplantation Services, University of Adelaide at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, Australia

⁴Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Center, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

⁵Renal Department, Middlemore Hospital, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand

⁶University of Melbourne Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia

⁷Department of Nephrology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia

author email corresponding author email

BMC Nephrology 2009, 10:19doi:10.1186/1471-2369-10-19

Published:	26 July 2009

Abstract

Background

There has not been a comprehensive, multi-centre study of streptococcal peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) to date.

Methods

The predictors, treatment and clinical outcomes of streptococcal peritonitis were examined by binary logistic regression and multilevel, multivariate poisson regression in all Australian PD patients involving 66 centres between 2003 and 2006.

Results

Two hundred and eighty-seven episodes of streptococcal peritonitis (4.6% of all peritonitis episodes) occurred in 256 individuals. Its occurrence was independently predicted by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander racial origin. Compared with other organisms, streptococcal peritonitis was associated with significantly lower risks of relapse (3% vs 15%), catheter removal (10% vs 23%) and permanent haemodialysis transfer (9% vs 18%), as well as a shorter duration of hospitalisation (5 vs 6 days). Overall, 249 (87%) patients were successfully treated with antibiotics without experiencing relapse, catheter removal or death. The majority of streptococcal peritonitis episodes were treated with either intraperitoneal vancomycin (most common) or first-generation cephalosporins for a median period of 13 days (interquartile range 8–18 days). Initial empiric antibiotic choice did not influence outcomes.

Conclusion

Streptococcal peritonitis is a not infrequent complication of PD, which is more common in indigenous patients. When treated with either first-generation cephalosporins or vancomycin for a period of 2 weeks, streptococcal peritonitis is associated with lower risks of relapse, catheter removal and permanent haemodialysis transfer than other forms of PD-associated peritonitis.