No abstract

For total heterotrophic bacteria, the overall compliance of treated water and dialysate to the American Association of Medical Instrumentation standards (<200 c.f.u./ml for water and <2000 c.f.u./ml for dialysate) was 92.6 and 63.7% respectively, whereas the compliance of tap water samples to our national standards (total heterotrophic bacteria < 10 c.f.u./ml and absence of the other indicator bacteria) was 80.7%. The most commonly isolated bacteria were pseudomonas spp., found in 22.2% of treated water and 59.5% of dialysate samples, whereas the respective frequencies were 12.3 and 36.2% for total coliforms, 8.6 and 30.0% for faecal coliforms, 14.8 and 28.7% for faecal streptococci, and sulphite-reducing clostridia were isolated in 5.8% of dialysate samples only. Haemodialysis centres equipped with storage tanks for treated water experienced lower levels of total heterotrophic bacteria, but higher counts of total and faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci, and pseudomonas spp., although the difference was statistically significant only for faecal streptococci counts, (P<0.05). Sixty-seven haemodialysis centres were equipped with bacterial filters, but mean values of all the examined microorganisms were not statistically different from those of the other centres. Faecal streptococci counts in treated water samples were positively correlated with ageing of both haemodialysis centres (P<0.005) and purification system (P<0.05), whereas pseudomonas counts were significantly correlated with ageing of the purification system (P<0.05).

In order to evaluate the Influence of diabetes mellitus on peritoneal membrane permeability, we studied the peritoneal protein loss In two groups of patients. Group A consisted of 16 patients (9 nondlabetics and 7 diabetics) who were In the first month of treatment on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPO). Group B consisted of 13 patients (7 nondlabetics and 6 diabetics) who had been on CAPO for approximately 15 months. In both groups we measured the body weight, serum total protein, albumin, and total protein, urea, and glucose In the peritoneal fluid. We did not find any difference In groups A and B between diabetics and nondlabetics as far as the estimated parameters were concerned. Age, body weight, serum biochemistry, and protein and urea content In peritoneal fluid were similar, when group A was compared to group B. Patients of group B hed on average higher protein losses than those who had been on the method for a short period (mean 7.9 g/dL, vs 6.09 g/dL). Six patients were followed for over 15 months and were found to have significantly Increased protein losses (p=0.02). Glucose levels In peritoneal fluid were significantly lower In patients In group B, p<0.05 (mean 51.8 g/dL vs 37.1 g/dL). Peritoneal protein loss does not seem to differ between diabetic and nondiabetic patients with end-stage renal disease treated with CAPO, at any given time of the treatment. We observed an Increase In protein loss In some patients and a tendency to Increase the protein loss In others. This, along with the fall In glucose levels, might reflect progressive alterations In structure and permeability of the elements Involved In peritoneal transport, and It should receive further evaluation.