Prophylaxis against fungal peritonitis in CAPD--a single center experience with low-dose fluconazole

Fungal peritonitis (FP) significantly alters the outcome of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Exposure to antibiotics is a risk factor for subsequent FP. Antifungal prophylaxis has been tried, with varying success, to prevent the occurrence of antibiotic-related fungal peritonitis (AR-FP). We aimed to evaluate the effect of prophylaxis with a low dose of fluconazole, in preventing AR-FP.

In this retrospective review, we examined the incidence of FP in a cohort of 115 patients, who had received antibiotics for bacterial peritonitis and received a co-prescription of fluconazole, 50 mg/day for the duration of antibiotic therapy. The incidence of bacterial peritonitis and FP for up to 3 months after antibiotic therapy was noted.

One hundred and fifteen patients were followed up over a 6-year period, for 2549 patient-months. We observed 82 episodes of bacterial peritonitis and a total of 137 antibiotic prescriptions. The peritonitis rate was 1 episode per 31.08 patient-months (1 per 2.58 patient-year, 0.38 episodes every patient-year). We had six episodes of FP. There were no episodes of AR-FP.

We observed very low rates of both bacterial peritonitis and FP, and prophylaxis with low-dose fluconazole seemed to confer protection against AR-FP. We did not encounter any adverse effects with its use.