An additional yield of culture from the removed peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter in diagnosis of pathogen causing refractory peritonitis was assessed in 118 eligible patients from 7 PD centers. Peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF) culture identified organisms in 86 (72.9%) patients, while the catheter culture identified organisms in 55 (46.6%) patients. PD catheter culture could additionally identify organisms in 19 patients whose PDF culture were negative, increasing the positive culture rate to 89%, in other word 16.1% reducing the culture-negative rate. PD catheter culture provided additional yield, especially in fungal and enterococcal infections.
Keywords: Fungus; PD catheter; peritoneal dialysis; refractory peritonitis.