Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2016;36(6):631-639.
doi: 10.3747/pdi.2016.00075. Epub 2016 Sep 28.

Patients' Perspectives on the Prevention and Treatment of Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Semi-Structured Interview Study

Denise J Campbell  1   2 , Jonathan C Craig  3   2 , David W Mudge  4 , Fiona G Brown  5 , Germaine Wong  3 , Allison Tong  3   2
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Patients' Perspectives on the Prevention and Treatment of Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Semi-Structured Interview Study

Denise J Campbell et al. Perit Dial Int. 2016.

Abstract

♦ BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is recommended for adults with residual kidney function and without significant comorbidities. However, peritonitis is a serious and common complication that is associated with hospitalization, pain, catheter loss, and death. This study aims to describe the beliefs, needs, and experiences of PD patients about peritonitis, to inform the training, support, and care of these patients. ♦ METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 patients from 3 renal units in Australia who had previous or current experience of PD. The interviews were conducted between November 2014 and November 2015. Transcripts were analyzed thematically. ♦ RESULTS: We identified 4 themes: constant vigilance for prevention (conscious of vulnerability, sharing responsibility with family, demanding attention to detail, ambiguity of detecting infection, ineradicable inhabitation, jeopardizing PD success); invading harm (life-threatening, wreaking internal damage, debilitating pain, losing control and dignity); incapacitating lifestyle interference (financial strain, isolation and separation, exacerbating burden on family); and exasperation with hospitalization (dread of hospital admission, exposure to infection, gruelling follow-up schedule, exposure to harm). ♦ CONCLUSIONS: Patients perceived that peritonitis could threaten their health, treatment modality, and lifestyle, which motivated vigilance and attention to hygiene. They felt a loss of control due to debilitating symptoms including pain and having to be hospitalized, and they were uncertain about how to monitor for signs of peritonitis. Providing patients with education about the causes and signs of peritonitis and addressing their concerns about lifestyle impact, financial impact, hospitalization, and peritonitis-related anxieties may improve treatment satisfaction and outcomes for patients requiring PD.

Keywords: Peritoneal dialysis; peritonitis; qualitative research.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1 —
Figure 1 —
Thematic schema representing patient perspectives on the prevention and treatment of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Daly CD, Campbell MK, MacLeod AM, Cody DJ, Vale LD, Grant AM, et al. Do the Y-set and double-bag systems reduce the incidence of CAPD peritonitis? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2001; 16(2):341–7. - PubMed
    1. Piraino B. Peritonitis as a complication of peritoneal dialysis. J Am Soc Nephrol 1998; 9(10):1956–64. - PubMed
    1. Fried LF, Bernardini J, Johnston JR, Piraino B. Peritonitis influences mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol 1996; 7(10):2176–82. - PubMed
    1. Woodrow G, Turney JH, Brownjohn AM. Technique failure in peritoneal dialysis and its impact on patient survival. Perit Dial Int 1997; 17(4):360–4. - PubMed
    1. Choi P, Nemati E, Banerjee A, Preston E, Levy J, Brown E. Peritoneal dialysis catheter removal for acute peritonitis: a retrospective analysis of factors associated with catheter removal and prolonged postoperative hospitalization. Am J Kidney Dis 2004; 43(1):103–11. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources