What are common risk factors for PD-related infections in elderly patients?

• A. Youthful skin, perfect dexterity
• B. Skin fragility, impaired manual dexterity, cognitive impairment, and reliance on caregivers; emphasize caregiver training and infection prevention
• C. High fiber diet
• D. Not using sterile technique

Answer: (B)

In elderly patients on peritoneal dialysis, infections are more likely when aging-related factors create entry points and make proper technique harder. Skin becomes more fragile, increasing the chance of bacterial entry at the catheter site. Impaired manual dexterity makes it tougher to perform exchanges and maintain sterile technique consistently. Cognitive impairment can lead to missed steps or mistakes in handling supplies. When care depends on someone else, the risk tracks with how well that caregiver is trained and how consistently infection-prevention practices are followed. Focusing on caregiver training and robust infection prevention directly addresses these vulnerabilities and helps prevent PD-related infections.

Other choices don’t fit as well because they don’t reflect the specific challenges of elderly patients on dialysis. A high fiber diet isn’t linked to infection risk in this context. Not using sterile technique is a risk, but it’s a general factor rather than detailing the particular elderly, caregiver-dependent scenario that increases infection risk.