title: [Comparison of 4 processing methods for the diagnosis of peritonitis in patients undergoing chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Four methods for the diagnosis of peritonitis in patients submitted to chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis were evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluid from eighty-five patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis processed by the following techniques conventional, centrifugation, injection into conventional BACTEC bottles and in double volume BACTEC bottles. In addition, qualitative and quantitative counts of the number of leukocytes/mm3 of peritoneal dialysis, as well as the gram staining of the sediment obtained following centrifugation were carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-eight percent of the peritoneal dialysis fluid processed fulfilled criteria of peritonitis. Global sensitivity of the diagnostic techniques used was 62%. The sensitivities of the different methods were individually: conventional, 46%, centrifugation, 52%, injection into conventional BACTEC bottles, 53%, and injection into double volume BACTEC bottles 58%. Gram staining sensitivity was 9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct injection of peritoneal dialysis in double volume BACTEC bottles is a useful technique for the etiologic diagnosis of peritonitis in patients submitted to chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. In this study, its sensitivity was greater to that of the other methods evaluated allowing minimal handling and delay in the processing of the sample.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Palencia
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Perea
mesh_terms: D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D002498:Centrifugation; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification