[Negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on peritonitis rate in peritoneal dialysis patients: Pleading for a continuous educational training]. / Conséquences de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur le taux de péritonites de dialyse péritonéale : plaidoyer pour une formation continue ininterrompue.

BACKGROUND: Peritonitis is a common complication of chronic peritoneal dialysis treatment contributing to both technique failure and/or death. Little is effectively known about the actual benefits of a continuous training program on peritonitis rates. In the present study, we measured the impact of our patients' training protocol on peritonitis rates. We further studied which consequences the COVID-related disruption of our follow-up program had on peritonitis rates. METHODS: We present our yearly peritonitis rates since our patients' training and retraining program was implemented in 2010. We then focused our study on three consecutive years: 2019, 2020 (emergence of COVID-19), and 2021, collecting microbiological data from each peritonitis episode. Statistical analysis were used to corroborate our findings. RESULTS: Since 2010, peritonitis rates declined linearly (R2=0,6556; df=8; P<0.01) until its nadir in 2019 with 4 peritonitis episodes. The majority of infections were then treated in the outpatient Clinic. In 2020, our continuous technique evaluation decreased by 51% and 28 peritonitis episodes occurred, 47% secondary to strict cutaneous bacteria's, and 31% gastro-intestinal, irrespective of patients' experience or peritoneal dialysis modality. The hospitalization rate reached 71%. Having restored our protocol, we decreased peritonitis rates by 50% in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for peritonitis are identifiable and modifiable and require sustained intervention, continuous visual monitoring and training. These interventions significantly reduce peritonitis rates. Any brief interruption to patients' technique evaluation may elevate peritonitis rates significantly.

Epidemiology of peritoneal dialysis outcomes.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an important home-based treatment for kidney failure and accounts for 11% of all dialysis and 9% of all kidney replacement therapy globally. Although PD is available in 81% of countries, this provision ranges from 96% in high-income countries to 32% in low-income countries. Compared with haemodialysis, PD has numerous potential advantages, including a simpler technique, greater feasibility of use in remote communities, generally lower cost, lesser need for trained staff, fewer management challenges during natural disasters, possibly better survival in the first few years, greater ability to travel, fewer dietary restrictions, better preservation of residual kidney function, greater treatment satisfaction, better quality of life, better outcomes following subsequent kidney transplantation, delayed need for vascular access (especially in small children), reduced need for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, and lower risk of blood-borne virus infections and of SARS-CoV-2 infection. PD outcomes have been improving over time but with great variability, driven by individual and system-level inequities and by centre effects; this variation is exacerbated by a lack of standardized outcome definitions. Potential strategies for outcome improvement include enhanced standardization, monitoring and reporting of PD outcomes, and the implementation of continuous quality improvement programmes and of PD-specific interventions, such as incremental PD, the use of biocompatible PD solutions and remote PD monitoring.

Peritoneal dialysis in the era of COVID-19: experience of a Tunisian center.

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the health landscape by hampering the management of patients with chronic diseases. Providing optimal healthcare has become a critical issue, especially for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving in-center dialysis. Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) has the advantage of being a home-based therapy. Several papers about COVID-19 in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population have been published, but few studies focused on the PD population, with limited case series. In this paper, we share our strategy for managing PD patients during the pandemic and describe the characteristics of 24 episodes of COVID-19 that occurred in our PD patients. Also, we report the impact of the pandemic on different outcomes and discuss the challenges of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the time of COVID-19 and the advantages of PD. During the period from December 2019 to September 2021, 127 patients received PD in our center. Among them, we recorded 24 episodes of COVID-19 that occurred in 20 patients, corresponding to an incidence of 8.4 per 1000 patient-months. None of the 20 patients with COVID-19 were vaccinated and there was a significant male gender predominance in the COVID-19 group compared to the non-COVID-19 group. The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy and primary glomerulonephritis were also significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. The revealing symptoms were asthenia, dry cough, and the deterioration of general conditions in 100%, 75%, and 63% of the patients, respectively. A biological inflammatory syndrome was found in 30% of the patients. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan, performed in 5 patients, showed features of COVID pneumonia with an average extent of damage of 55%. The rate of patients starting PD during the study period was comparable to that before the pandemic. Furthermore, we did not find a significant difference between the infected and the non-infected groups regarding the incidence of peritonitis, PD technique failure, and mortality (6.1 [0-1.46] vs 3.9 [0.15-0.64] deaths per 1000 patient-months. COVID-19 does not seem to have influenced the outcomes of our patients treated with PD even before the launch of mass immunization in our country. Thus, PD can be a great option for RRT in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic since many issues could be managed remotely to avoid regular hospital visits and contribute to maintaining social distancing, which is the cornerstone of breaking the chain of transmission of the novel virus.

Angiogenic Role of Mesothelium-Derived Chemokine CXCL1 During Unfavorable Peritoneal Tissue Remodeling in Patients Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis as Renal Replacement Therapy.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a valuable 'home treatment' option, even more so during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. However, the long-term use of PD is limited by unfavourable tissue remodelling in the peritoneal membrane, which is associated with inflammation-induced angiogenesis. This appears to be driven primarily through vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), while the involvement of other angiogenic signaling pathways is still poorly understood. Here, we have identified the crucial contribution of mesothelial cell-derived angiogenic CXC chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) to peritoneal angiogenesis in PD. CXCL1 expression and peritoneal microvessel density were analysed in biopsies obtained by the International Peritoneal Biobank (NCT01893710 at www.clinicaltrials.gov), comparing 13 children with end-stage kidney disease before initiating PD to 43 children on chronic PD. The angiogenic potential of mesothelial cell-derived CXCL1 was assessed in vitro by measuring endothelial tube formation of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) treated with conditioned medium from human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) stimulated to release CXCL1 by treatment with either recombinant IL-17 or PD effluent. We found that the capillary density in the human peritoneum correlated with local CXCL1 expression. Both CXCL1 expression and microvessel density were higher in PD patients than in the age-matched patients prior to initiation of PD. Exposure of HMECs to recombinant CXCL1 or conditioned medium from IL-17-stimulated HPMCs resulted in increased endothelial tube formation, while selective inhibition of mesothelial CXCL1 production by specific antibodies or through silencing of relevant transcription factors abolished the proangiogenic effect of HPMC-conditioned medium. In conclusion, peritoneal mesothelium-derived CXCL1 promotes endothelial tube formation in vitro and associates with peritoneal microvessel density in uremic patients undergoing PD, thus providing novel targets for therapeutic intervention to prolong PD therapy.

Anxiety and psychosocial impact during coronavirus disease 2019 in home dialysis patients.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) resulting in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is documented to have a negative psychosocial impact on patients. Home dialysis patients may be at risk of additional isolating factors affecting their mental health. The aim of this study is to describe levels of anxiety and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic among home dialysis patients. This is a single-centre survey of home dialysis patients in Toronto, Ontario. Surveys were sent to 98 home haemodialysis and 43 peritoneal dialysis patients. Validated instruments (Haemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Item [GAD7] Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9], Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale, Family APGAR Questionnaire and The Self Perceived Burden Scale) assessing well-being were used. Forty of the 141 patients surveyed, participated in September 2020. The mean age was 53.1 ± 12.1 years, with 60% male, and 85% home haemodialysis, 80% of patients rated their satisfaction with dialysis at 8/10 or greater, 82% of respondents reported either "not at all" or "for several days" indicating frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms, 79% said their illness minimally or moderately impacted their life, 76% of respondents were almost always satisfied with interactions with family members, 91% were never or sometimes worried about caregiver burden. Among our respondents, there was no indication of a negative psychosocial impact from the pandemic, despite the increased social isolation. Our data further supports the use of home dialysis as the optimal form of dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis for acute kidney injury: Equations for dosing in pandemics, disasters, and beyond.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a viable option for renal replacement therapy in acute kidney injury (AKI), especially in challenging times during disasters and pandemics when resources are limited. While PD techniques are well described, there is uncertainty about how to determine the amount of PD to be prescribed toward a target dose. The aim of this study is to derive practical equations to assist with the prescription of PD for AKI. METHODS: Using established physiological principles behind PD clearance and membrane transport, a primary determinant of dose delivery, equations were mathematically derived to estimate dialysate volume required to achieve a target dose of PD. RESULTS: The main derivative equation is VD = (1.2 × std-Kt/V × TBW)/(tdwell + 4), where VD is the total dialysate volume per day, std-Kt/V is the desired weekly dose, TBW is the total body water, and tdwell is the dwell time. VD can be expressed in terms of dwell volume, vdwell, by VD = (0.3 × std-Kt/V × TBW) - (6 × vdwell). Two further equations were derived which directly describe the mathematical relationship between tdwell and vdwell. A calculator is included as an Online Supplementary Material. CONCLUSIONS: The equations are intended as a practical tool to estimate solute clearances and guide prescription of continuous PD. The estimated dialysate volume required for any dose target can be calculated from cycle duration or dwell volume. However, the exact target dose of PD is uncertain and should be adjusted according to the clinical circumstances and response to treatment. The equations presented in this article facilitate the adjustment of PD prescription toward the targeted solute clearance.

A COVID-19 pandemic-specific, structured care process for peritoneal dialysis patients facilitated by telemedicine: Therapy continuity, prevention, and complications management.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic. Peritoneal dialysis (PD), being a home therapy, allows for physical distancing measures and movement restrictions. In order to prevent COVID-19 contagioun among the Dominican Republic National Health System PD program patients, a follow-up virtual protocol for this group was developed. The aim of this study is to outline the protocol established by the PD program's healthcare team using telemedicine in order to avoid COVID-19 transmission and to report initial results and outcomes of this initiative. This is an observational prospective longitudinal study with 946 patients being treated in seven centers distributed throughout the country between April 1 and June 30. The protocol was implemented focusing on the patient follow-up; risk mitigation data were registered and collected from electronic records. During the follow-up period, 95 catheters were implanted, 64 patients initiated PD, and the remaining were in training. A total of 9532 consultations were given by the different team specialists, with 8720 (91%) virtual and 812 (9%) face-to-face consultations. The transfer rate to hemodialysis was 0.29%, whereas the peritonitis rate was 0.11 episode per patient/year. Eighteen adults tested positive for COVID-19. The implementation of the protocol and telemedicine utilization have ensured follow-up and monitoring, preserved therapy, controlled complications, and PD lives protected.

Strategies for Management of Peritoneal Dialysis Patients in Singapore during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the only well-established home-based dialysis therapy in Singapore. As it is a home-based modality, PD should be considered as a preferred mode of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) for patients with kidney failure during this COVID-19 pandemic as it avoids frequent visits to hospitals and/or satellite dialysis centres. The highly infectious nature of this virus has led to the implementation of the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition orange status in Singapore since early February 2020. This paper summarises the strategies for management of several aspects of PD in Singapore during this COVID-19 pandemic, including PD catheter insertion, PD training, home visit and assisted PD, outpatient PD clinic, inpatient management of PD patients with or without COVID-19 infection, PD as KRT for COVID-19 patients with acute kidney injury, management of common complications in PD (peritonitis and fluid overload), and management of PD inventory.

Case series of acute peritoneal dialysis in the prone position for acute kidney injury during the Covid-19 pandemic: Prone to complications?

Patients with kidney failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring prone position have not been candidates for peritoneal dialysis (PD) due to concern with increased intra-abdominal pressure, reduction in respiratory system compliance and risks of peritoneal fluid leaks. We describe our experience in delivering acute PD during the surge in Covid-19 acute kidney injury (AKI) in the subset of patients requiring prone positioning. All seven patients included in this report were admitted to the intensive care unit with SARS-CoV-2 infection leading to ARDS, AKI and multisystem organ failure. All required renal replacement therapy, and prone positioning to improve ventilation/perfusion mismatch. All seven were able to continue PD despite prone positioning without any detrimental effects on respiratory mechanics or the need to switch to a different modality. Fluid leakage was noted in 71% of patients, but mild and readily resolved. We were able to successfully implement acute PD in ventilator-dependent prone patients suffering from Covid-19-related AKI. This required a team effort and some modifications in the conventional PD prescription and delivery.

Hybrid dialysis: a promising strategy to reduce hospital access during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

In March 2020, a 74-year-old man affected by end-stage renal disease and on peritoneal dialysis was referred to an emergency room in Modena, Northern Italy, due to fever and respiratory symptoms. After ruling out COVID-19 infection, a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation was confirmed and he was thus transferred to the nephrology division. Physical examination and blood tests revealed a positive fluid balance and insufficient correction of the uraemic syndrome, although peritoneal dialysis prescription was maximised. After discussion with the patient and his family, the staff decided to start hybrid dialysis, consisting of once-weekly in-hospital haemodialysis and home peritoneal dialysis for the remaining days. He was discharged at the end of the antibiotic course, after an internal jugular vein central venous catheter placement and the first haemodialysis session. This strategy allowed improvement of depuration parameters and avoidance of frequent access to the hospital, which is crucial in limiting exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in an endemic setting.

Successfully treating three patients with acute kidney injury secondary to COVID-19 by peritoneal dialysis: Case report and literature review.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic disease that increased the burden on health-care system. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 74,795 cases have been reported until 26 May 2020 and the number of cases is rapidly increasing. The mortality rate of COVID-19 worldwide is 6.37%. Here we report three cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) secondary to pneumonia of severe COVID-19; they were treated with automated peritoneal dialysis (PD) with full recovery. To the best of our knowledge, few reports in the literature have discussed the use of PD in AKI secondary to COVID-19.

Good practices recommendations from the Brazilian Society of Nephrology to Peritoneal Dialysis Services related to the new coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic.

Considering the new coronavirus epidemic (Covid-19), the Brazilian Society of Nephrology, represented by the Peritoneal Steering Committee, in agreement with the and the Dialysis Department, developed a series of recommendations for good clinical practices for peritoneal dialysis (PD) clinics, to be considered during the period of the Covid-19 epidemic. We aim to minimize the disease spread, protecting patients and staff, and ensuring the quality of the treatment provided and adequate follow-up for PD patients. The recommendations suggested at this moment must be adapted to each clinic's reality and the conditions of the structural and human resources, dependent on the adequate financial provision of the public health system for its full implementation.

Peritoneal dialysis for treatment of acute kidney injury in a case of paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2.

This short report describes the case discussion of 9-year-old patient with acute kidney injury due to paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 with successful peritoneal dialysis via a peritoneal dialysis catheter inserted at the bedside in an intensive care setting.

Absence of SARS-CoV-2 in the effluent of peritoneal dialysis patients.

The pandemic of respiratory disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is life-threatening in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. In PD patients with systemic viral infections, peritoneal effluent may be theoretically contaminated. We searched for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays in serial PD effluents of three PD infected patients. Nasopharyngeal swabs obtained at admission showed high viral load in all three patients, whereas none of the PD effluent specimen tested positive, even after dialysate concentration. Those results support at most a very low SARS-CoV-2 dissemination risk by the peritoneal effluent of PD patients. Imposing special disposal procedures, such as the instillation of hypochlorite in the drainage bags to prevent viral spread to health-care workers, are probably not required.

Home Dialysis in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Era.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has had a significant impact on patients with end-stage kidney disease and their care, especially given the potential for severe coronavirus disease 2019 in those with a depressed immune status. Patients receiving in-center hemodialysis have been particularly affected by this pandemic because of their need to travel multiple times a week to receive treatment. Although patients on home dialysis are able to avoid such exposure, they face their own unique challenges. In this review, we will discuss the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic for patients on home dialysis, the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on various aspects of their care, and the resultant rapid adaptations in policy/health-care delivery mechanisms with implications for the future care of patients on home dialysis.