Peritonitis in an urban peritoneal dialysis program: an analysis of infecting pathogens.

We have previously found that race, level of education, and peritoneal dialysis system are factors that significantly and independently influence peritonitis rates in our patient population. We now extend these observations by assessing the pathogens responsible for peritonitis in these subgroups. Between January 1, 1981, and May 15, 1993, 248 peritoneal dialysis patients underwent dialysis at our facility. The rate of peritonitis by pathogen was determined in these patients using the fixed effects Poisson model. Total peritonitis rates in black patients (1.89 episodes/patient-year) were significantly greater compared with white patients (1.11 episodes/patient-year; P < 0.0001). Increased infection rates in black patients were significant for Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and gram-negative pathogens. The level of education had a negative correlation with peritonitis rates (< or = 8 years, 2.00 episodes/patient-year; 9 to 12 years, 1.64 episodes/patient-year; and > or = 13 years, 1.24 episodes/patient-year) with patients having > or = 13 years of education at the start of dialysis demonstrating a significantly lower total peritonitis rate compared with patients with 9 to 12 years (P = 0.001) or < or = 8 years (P < 0.001) of education. This was accounted for by a significant decrease in infection rates for S epidermidis, polymicrobial, and gram-negative organisms. Finally, patients on automated peritoneal dialysis had significantly lower total peritonitis rates (0.59 episodes/patient-year) compared with patients on either a connect (2.11 episodes/patient-year) or disconnect (1.46 episodes/patient-year) system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)