The Relationship Between Mucociliary Clearance Time and Peritonitis Frequency in Patients Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis

Background: The present study sought to explore the association between nasal mucociliary clearance time (MCT) and the frequency of peritonitis among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) treated by peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 24 patients with CKD treated by PD and 24 healthy volunteers. Nasal muco ciliary function was assessed using the saccharin transit time test. In this procedure, a saccharin particle with a 1 mm diameter was meticulously placed on the anteromedial surface of the inferior nasal concha. The 2 groups were compared based on their mean MCT. Within the patient group, the number of peritonitis cases in the last year was evaluated, and the correlation between MCT and the occurrence of peritonitis was analyzed.

Results: The patient group consisted of 15 females and 9 males, with a mean age of 52.6 years. The control group included 14 females and 10 males, with a mean age of 47.5 years. The mean duration of PD among the followed cohort was 20 months, ranging from 3 to 190 months. The comparison of mean MCT between patients with a history of peritonitis and those with out peritonitis did not reveal a statistically significant difference (P = .333). However, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly elevated in the group exhibiting prolonged MCT (P = .046).

Conclusion: Although this study found no statistically significant direct relationship between peritonitis incidence and MCT, the research aimed to evaluate MCT as a potential indicator of susceptibility to respiratory tract infections, which play
a role in the development of peritonitis.

Cite this article as: Doğan B, Ergül F, Basut R, et al. The relationship between mucociliary clearance time and peritonitis frequency in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. Turk J Nephrol. 2026;35(1):67-71.