OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of the combination of cefazolin and ceftazidime for initial treatment of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis in pediatric patients. DESIGN: Retrospective nonrandomized study. SETTING: Pediatric dialysis units of the University Medical Center of Utrecht and Nijmegen, The Netherlands. PATIENTS: 40 children (median age 5.4 years) who were treated with PD during the study period of 4.5 years. INTERVENTIONS: All 50 episodes of peritonitis that occurred during the study period were evaluated by review of medical records. Patients were given intraperitoneal ceftazidime 500 mg/L dialysis fluid, and cefazolin 500 mg/L as a loading dose, followed by a maintenance dose of ceftazidime 125 mg/L and cefazolin 100 mg/L, intraperitoneally, 4 times daily. Antibiotics were continued for 14 days. RESULTS: After identification of the causative microorganism, one of the antibiotics was discontinued in 34 cases, and the antibiotic schedule was adapted in 2 cases. All cases were initially cured within 3 days. In 5 cases (10%), there was a peritonitis with the same organism recurring within 2 weeks after completion of treatment. There were 4 cases of PD-related peritonitis caused by pseudomonas, all of which were cured. CONCLUSIONS: The antibiotic combination of cefazolin and ceftazidime is effective for the initial therapy of PD-related peritonitis in children. The toxic complications of aminoglycosides are avoided with this combination.

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