'Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis' - Who does it ? And What Is The Relationship To Peritonitis ?

Abstract

This study aimed at retrospectively evaluating the care giver profile in our PD patient and analyzing the occurrence ofperitonitis in relation to the relationship of the care giver to the patient and their educational profile. This is a retrospective study. The study duration was from April 1999 to March 2013. The relationship of the care giver to the patients, the educational status of the care givers were related to the occurrence of peritonitis in the patients. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 17 software and a p value of< 0.05 was considered significant. Total number of patients initiated on PD during this study period was 235. There were 180 men and 55 women. The basic renal disease was Diabetic nephropathy in 140 and non diabetic renal disease in 95. Wife was the care giver in 142 (60.42 %), followed by husband 26 (11 %), son 21 (8.9%), daughter 15 (6.38%), home nurse 10(4.2%) and others in21(8.9%) including daughter in law 7(3%), mother 4(1.7%), sister 3 (1.3%), brother I (0.4%), self2 (0.8%) and other relatives 4 (1.6%). Fifty seven patients had peritonitis and 85 did not with 'wife' as the care provider and among the other care providers 28 had peritonitis and 65 did not and this is not statistically significant (p=0.506 NS). 137 care givers (58.2%) had college level education and 98 (41.2%) were educated up to school level. One hundred fifty (63.8%)patients had no peritonitis during follow up-86 caregivers were college educated and 64 had school level education. Eighty five patients (36.2%) had one or more episodes of peritonitis-51 were college educated and 34 had education up to schoollevel.(p=0.118 NS). In our study wife was the principle care provider and there was no significant difference in the peritonitis between 'wife' and the rest. Also the educational status of the care giver does not influence the peritonitis occurrence.