Peritonitis among CAPD patients: Host, agent and/or environment?

At the Omaha Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA the authors used the classic epidemiological model based on the interaction between host, agent and environment, and a historical-prospective design to study the risk factors for peritonitis among all continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Data were abstracted from the medical records of the patients and from questionnaires completed by the nurses who had cared for the entire population since the inception of CAPD at this hospital. Using the Cox proportional hazard regression model, they analyzed variables considered to be associated with the host, agent and environment. This survival analysis demonstrated than, when other host, agent and environmental factors are controlled, age (younger patients), low patient motivation and minimal social support are significant risk factors for peritonitis.