Table 1 Explanation of definitions to be used as part of this study
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
Peritonitis |    * Presence of two clinical signs and symptoms: |
| Â | abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and cloudy dialysate |
|  |    * Peritoneal dialysate WCC > 100/mm3 with 50% neutrophils |
|  |    * Demonstration of bacteria on gram stain or culture |
Clinical failure |    * Insufficient lessening of signs and symptoms of infection to qualify as improvement |
|  |    * Continued symptoms or signs beyond day four |
|  |    * Dialysate WCC > 100/mm3 at day 14 |
|  |    * Removal of the catheter for failure to respond to treatment |
|  |    * Recurrence of peritonitis with same micro-organism (relapse) within 28-day follow up period after cessation of antibiotics |
|  |    * Death due to uncontrolled infection |
Clinical success | Primary response - disappearance of the signs and symptoms of peritonitis and clear, sterile PD on day 10 |
| Â | Relapsed - primary response but recurrence by day 28 |
| Â | Complete cure - no relapse by day 28 after completion of antibiotics |
Outcome indeterminate | When no evaluation is possible for any reason |
Bacteriologic response based on culture results | Eradication -Causative organisms absent and remaining absent for 28 days after completion of antibiotics |
| Â | Persistence - Causative organisms present at any culture dates after initiation of therapy |
| Â | Superinfection - Presence of new infecting organisms and cultures dates during and just after two days of therapy |
| Â | Bacteriologic indeterminate - When result not available for any reason including no growth in the first culture |
| Â | Eradication with relapse - Causative organisms absent at day 14 but present at or before 28 +/- 2 days follow up |
| Â | Eradication with reinfection - Causative organisms absent at day 14 and presence of new organisms at or before 28 +/- 2 days of follow up |