Abstract

SILVANO, José et al. Chemical peritonitis associated with intraperitoneal vancomycin: A case series. Port J Nephrol Hypert [online]. 2021, vol.35, n.2, pp.114-117.  Epub June 29, 2021. ISSN 0872-0169.  https://doi.org/10.32932/pjnh.2021.07.132.

Peritonitis is a serious complication in peritoneal dialysis, usually secondary to an infectious cause. Chemical peritonitis is rarer. No case exclusively attributed to vancomycin has been reported in the last 20 years. Data from 4 consecutive patients diagnosed with culture‑negative peritonitis following administration of intraperitoneal vancomycin between May and June 2019 were retrospectively recorded. All patients were treated with 2 grams of intraperitoneal vancomycin after a break in aseptic technique and developed a cloudy effluent. No patient was previously known to be allergic to vancomycin. All had a clear dialysate before vancomycin. All developed an elevated leukocyte count in the dialysate. All had sterile cultures. All resumed a clear effluent with less <100 cells/μL after vancomycin cessation, and in two there were no further administrations. In one, a new drug challenge led to recrudescence of abdominal pain and reappearance of a cloudy sterile effluent.

In another, vancomycin from a different lot was administrated 3 days after, no symptoms developed and dialysate cell count remained normal.

The pathogenic mechanisms underlying chemical peritonitis are not fully known. The clinical course is typically benign. Management seems to be limited to drug withdrawal. If unrecognized, chemical peritonitis may ultimately lead to unnecessary catheter removal.

Keywords : Chemical peritonitis; peritoneal dialysis; vancomycin..

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