OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential superiority of either oral or intraperitoneal treatment of catheter tunnel infections (TI), using clindamycin as a first-line antibiotic and ultrasound as a diagnostic tool. DESIGN: This was a prospective, randomized study in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. From August 1993 until August 1995, 16 clinically- and ultrasound-proven episodes of TI were randomly assigned to either an oral or an intraperitoneal (IP) treatment (100 patients, 1414 patient-months). Main criteria for TI diagnosis were purulent drainage from the exit site and/or a positive ultrasound (pericatheter fluid collection of at least 2 mm, 7.5 MHz transducer). Initially, clindamycin (20 mg/kg body weight) was given via the oral (three times per day) or intraperitoneal route (four times per day). In the case of incompatibility or resistance to clindamycin, either oxacillin or ciprofloxacin were used orally or IP. RESULTS: Based on ultrasound criteria, the mean time until a > or = 50% reduction of pericatheter abscess diameter was 26 days (median) (range: 8-28 days) in the oral, and 15 days (8-27 days) in the IP group (p < or = 0.05). Showing no significant difference of pericatheter fluid at study entry with 4 mm (median) (range: 2-6 mm) in the oral group and 4 mm (2-4 mm) in the IP group, the IP treatment resulted in a decrease to 0 mm (0-2 mm) after 28 days (p < 0.05), while the diameter was still 2 mm (0-10 mm) (NS) in the oral group. Disappearance of exit-site infection was also somewhat earlier in the intraperitoneal group (51 vs 15 days, NS). Catheter removal had to be done once in the IP group and twice in the oral group within 6 months after study entry. CONCLUSIONS: The results give evidence for greater efficacy of the IP application of clindamycin as a first-line antibiotic compared to the oral route for the treatment of tunnel infections.

Copyright © 1997 by Multimed Inc.