Which combination of findings is consistent with peritonitis diagnosis?

• A. Abdominal pain or effluent cloudy
• B. Effluent WBC/TNC >100 after a 2-hour dwell with >50% PMN
• C. Positive effluent culture
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

In PD peritonitis, diagnosis is built from clinical, laboratory, and microbiological evidence. Abdominal pain and cloudy dialysate are classic clinical signs. A key lab criterion is an effluent white blood cell count greater than 100 cells per microliter with more than 50% neutrophils (PMNs), measured after a dwell time. A positive effluent culture provides microbiological confirmation of infection. Each of these findings supports the diagnosis, and having all three together makes the diagnosis most certain. Hence, all the above findings together are consistent with peritonitis.