Background: Whether peritoneal dialysis is a risk factor for the development of intra-abdominal infection (IAI) after simultaneous pancreas kidney (SPK) transplantation is controversial.
Methods: We investigated the incidence of IAI, and patient and pancreas graft survival rates of 120 patients that received SPK between November 1995 and August 2003. All patients were dialysis-dependent prior to transplantation; mean duration of peritoneal dialysis (PD; n=52) and hemodialysis (HD; n=68) was 20+/-15 months and 23+/-16 months, respectively.
Results: IAI developed in five PD and six HD patients (P=0.88). The time of diagnosis of IAI and the spectrum of organisms cultured were similar in the two groups of patients. Age, duration of dialysis, and method of exocrine drainage did not have a significantly impact on infection rate. Patient and pancreas graft survival rates were 92.3% and 88.4% in the PD group and 95.5% and 92% HD group (p=ns) after a mean follow-up of 42+/-27 months and 39+/-27 months, respectively. Overall patient and pancreas graft survival was not significantly affected by IAI.
Conclusions: PD does not adversely affect IAI rate and is a safe mode of dialysis for patients awaiting SPK transplantation.