There is increasing evidence of a correlation between interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN). We conducted a comprehensive search on IP-10 using MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane electronic databases from the beginning to the end of December 2017. All studies that compared serum and/or urine IP-10 between active SLE/LN patients and any control groups were identified and included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The mean difference (MD) of IP-10 level among active SLE and LN patients, as well as the correlation of IP-10 with disease activity, were meta-analyzed using a random-effects model. From 23 eligible studies, 15 provided adequate data for meta-analysis. Serum IP-10 was significantly elevated in patients with active SLE compared to non-active SLE patients (MD 356.5 pg/mL, 95% CI 59.6 to 653.4, p = 0.019). On the other hand, the levels of serum IP-10 was not different between active LN and non-active LN. However, serum IP-10 was positively correlated with disease activity like SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (pooled r = 0.29, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.35, p < 0.001). Furthermore, urine IP-10 tended to be higher in patients with active LN compared to non-active LN patients but this did not reach statistical significance (MD 3.47 pg/mgCr × 100, 95% CI −0.18 to 7.12, p = 0.06). Nevertheless, urine IP-10 was positively correlated with renal SLEDAI (pooled r = 0.29, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.50, p = 0.019). In conclusion, serum and urine IP-10 levels may be useful in monitoring the disease activity of SLE and LN. Serum IP-10 was correlated with systemic disease whereas urine IP-10 was a useful biomarker for detecting active LN.

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Introduction This describes variations in facility peritoneal dialysis (PD) effluent (PDE) culture techniques and local microbiology laboratory practices, competencies, and quality assurance associated with peritonitis, with a specific emphasis on factors associated with culture-negative peritonitis (CNP). Methods Peritonitis data were prospectively collected from 22 Thai PD centers between May 2016 and October 2017 as part of the Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study. The first cloudy PD bags from PD participants with suspected peritonitis were sent to local and central laboratories for comparison of pathogen identification. The associations between these characteristics and CNP were evaluated. Results CNP was significantly more frequent in local laboratories (38%) compared with paired PDE samples sent to the central laboratory (12%, P < 0.05). Marked variations were observed in PD center practices, particularly with respect to specimen collection and processing, which often deviated from International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis Guideline recommendations, and laboratory capacities, capabilities, and certification. Lower rates of CNP were associated with PD nurse specimen collection, centrifugation of PDE, immediate transfer of samples to the laboratory, larger hospital size, larger PD unit size, availability of an on-site nephrologist, higher laboratory capacity, and laboratory ability to perform aerobic cultures, undertake standard operating procedures in antimicrobial susceptibilities, and obtain local accreditation. Conclusion There were large variations in PD center and laboratory capacities, capabilities, and practices, which in turn were associated with the likelihood of culturing and correctly identifying organisms responsible for causing PD-associated peritonitis. Deviations in practice from International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis guideline recommendations were associated with higher CNP rates.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been the main method of renal replacement therapy under the "PD First" policy in Thailand since 2008. Initially, the proposed 13 key performance indicators (KPIs) raised feasibility concerns because of inequitable distribution of resources such as laboratory facilities and/or specialized healthcare staff for PD care throughout the country.Methods: Data availability and goals from the health-care providers' perspective were explored using an online questionnaire survey for all PD centers registered with the Nephrology Society of Thailand from May to June 2016. The availability of essential data required for each KPI indicator to achieve the desired target was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale.Results: Of the 197 centers, 119 responded to the survey (response rate of 60.41%).PD indicators with a high percentage of strongly disagree or disagree were "PD adequacy measured in the last 12 months" (26.83%), "Total weekly Kt/V ≥ 1.7" (24.59%), "3-year PD technique survival" (21.31%), "Serum parathyroid levels within 150 to 500 pg/mL" (16.94%), and a "3-year PD patient survival" (19.01%). As many as 34.17%, 39.19%, 27.27%, 28.93%, and 22.00%, respectively, did not anticipate that Talerngsak Kanjanabuch and Krit Pongpirul share co-first authorship.

An additional yield of culture from the removed peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter in diagnosis of pathogen causing refractory peritonitis was assessed in 118 eligible patients from 7 PD centers. Peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF) culture identified organisms in 86 (72.9%) patients, while the catheter culture identified organisms in 55 (46.6%) patients. PD catheter culture could additionally identify organisms in 19 patients whose PDF culture were negative, increasing the positive culture rate to 89%, in other word 16.1% reducing the culture-negative rate. PD catheter culture provided additional yield, especially in fungal and enterococcal infections.

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Background: Despite the implementation of a ‘Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) First’ policy in Thailand since 2008, nationwide PD practices and patients’ outcomes have rarely been reported. Methods: As part of the multinational PD Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS), PD patients from 22 PD centres from different geographic regions, sizes and affiliations, representing Thailand PD facilities, have been enrolled starting in May 2016. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data and patients’ outcomes were prospectively collected and analysed. Results: The pilot and implementation phases demonstrated excellent concordance between study data and validation data collected at enrolment. In the implementation phase, 848 PD patients (including 262 (31%) incident PD patients) were randomly sampled from 5090 patients in participating centres. Almost all participants (95%) performed continuous ambulatory PD (CAPD), and a high proportion had hypoalbuminemia (67%, serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL), anaemia (42%, haemoglobin <10 g/dL) and hypokalaemia (37%, serum potassium < 3.5 mmol/L). The peritonitis rate was 0.40 episodes/year, but the culture-negative rate was high (0.13 episodes/year, 28% of total episodes). The patients from PD clinics located in Bangkok metropolitan region had higher socio-economic status, more optimal nutritional markers, blood chemistries, haemoglobin level and lower peritonitis rates compared to the provincial regions, emphasizing the centre effect on key success factors in PD. Conclusions: Participation in the PDOPPS helps unveil the critical barriers to improving outcomes of PD patients in Thailand, including a high prevalence of hypokalaemia, anaemia, poor nutritional status and culture-negative peritonitis. These factors should be acted upon to formulate solutions and implement quality improvement on a national level.

As peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related fungal infection is associated with a high mortality rate, the international guidelines recommend immediate removal of the PD catheter in conjunction with at least 2-weeks of antifungal treatment. Some authors have reported successful management of such cases without removing the PD catheter - by instilling an antifungal lock into the retained PD catheter. However, the use of antifungal locks has generally not been well accepted as the standard treatment for fungal peritonitis in PD patients. We report two cases where antifungal lock were performed in PD patients presented with PD-related fungal infection that not only had no effect on abating the infection but also causing paradoxical outcomes.