Characteristics and sequelae of peritonitis in diabetics and nondiabetics receiving chronic intermittent peritoneal dialysis.

To evaluate the effect of diabetic status upon peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis, the characteristics and sequelae of 159 episodes of peritonitis were reviewed in 26 diabetic and 59 nondiabetic peritoneal dialysis patients. There was no difference between the two patient groups in peritonitis occurrence rates or in individual patient attack rate. The spectra of etiologic florae were comparable, although the nondiabetic group had a greater incidence of Staphylcoccus aureus and fungal peritonitis. Presenting symptomatology, ascitic fluid characteristics, duration of illness, and sequelae of peritonitis, including catheter loss and death, were similar in diabetics and nondiabetics. Dialysis peritonitis is manifested by a spectrum of illness ranging from brief asymptomatic infection to painful prolonged disease; however, the latter course is not more common in diabetics. Further, in diabetics, peritonitis is neither a more frequent event, nor inherently a greater risk, than in nondiabetics.