Prevention and treatment of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis in pediatric patients.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the preferred dialysis modality in children and adolescents aged less than 15 years. Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis remains a major cause of morbidity and reason for dropout from the PD program, although the incidence of peritonitis seems to have decreased during the past few years. Improved patient care, more frequent use of automated peritoneal dialysis (APD), use of PD catheters with downward facing exit sites, and Staphylococcus aureus prophylaxis account for this decline in infectious complications. With respect to the isolated micro-organism in PD-associated peritonitis, a predominance of gram-positive germs is found in children. Recent registry data suggest a decrease in coagulase-negative staphylococci, with a relative increase in gram-negative peritonitis episodes. The empiric antibiotic treatment regimen using a first-generation cephalosporin or a glycopeptide in combination with a third-generation cephalosporin in a risk-stratified manner was suggested in the pediatric peritonitis treatment guidelines. This regimen is currently being evaluated in the International Pediatric Peritonitis Registry.