Nitrogen losses and cephalothin absorption in peritonitis treated by hourly peritoneal dialysis

The effects of peritonitis on dialysate nitrogen losses were investigated. Eight patients who developed peritonitis while undergoing peritoneal dialysis were compared to seven noninfected dialysis patients. Dialysate protein losses increased during peritonitis, but nitrogen losses into the dialysate did not increase. These findings were caused by reduced urea nitrogen losses in the peritonitis group, which proportionately, more than made up for the increased nitrogen losses from protein. We speculate that the smaller loss of urea nitrogen was due to diminished intake of food. Cephalothin uptake from the peritoneal cavity was unaltered by peritonitis and a dialysate flow rate of 2 L/hour averaged 26 +/- 2 mL/minute and 27 +/- 2 mL/minute in the noninfected and infected groups, respectively.