Corticosteroid and tamoxifen therapy in sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a patient on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Encapsulated Peritoneal Sclerosis in an Adolescent With Kidney Transplant After Long-Term Peritoneal Dialysis

Encapsulated peritoneal sclerosis is a rare complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis that has a high rate of morbidity and mortality. We present an 18-year-old female patient who was first diagnosed with renal failure at 8 years of age and who had 7 years of peritoneal dialysis and then hemodialysis before kidney transplant from a deceased donor. Before transplant, the patient developed encapsulated peritoneal sclerosis and was treated with tamoxifen and steroids. Three years after transplant, the patient presented with complaints of vomiting, abdominal pain, and abdominal distension and was again diagnosed with encapsulated peritoneal sclerosis. The patient required excretory paracentesis, pulse steroid treatment for 3 days, and treatment with methylprednisone and tamoxifen, which resulted in regression of signs and symptoms. Factors such as long-term peritoneal dialysis, a history of bacterial peritonitis, and use of high-concentration dialysate may cause encapsulated peritoneal sclerosis, but symptoms can recur after transplant, as shown in our patient. Thus, it is important to recognize that encapsulated peritoneal sclerosis may cause graft loss due to the various complications that it can cause.

Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis after kidney Transplantation: Success of Medical Treatment

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is an infrequent but serious complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). EPS may become clinically apparent when patients are on PD (classical EPS) or after undergoing kidney transplantation (post-transplantation EPS). This presentation of EPS seems to occur shortly after kidney transplantation in former PD patients. In this report, we present our experience in our first case of patient diagnosed with EPS after kidney transplantation.

Recommendations on the Management of Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis in Japan, 2005: Diagnosis, Predictive Markers, Treatment, and Preventive Measures

This comprehensive update on the management of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis incorporates insights gained from recently published findings and the accumulated experience of the authors. Aspects covered include diagnosis, risk factors and predictive markers, treatment, and prevention, including criteria for withdrawal from peritoneal dialysis.

Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare but serious complication of peritoneal dialysis. In this review, we describe the clinical picture and histologic changes to the peritoneal membrane that are associated with EPS and provide an update on current diagnosis and management. We also discuss the recent studies that have suggested that the use of more biocompatible solutions containing lower concentrations of glucose degradation product that often are pH neutral in combination with a change in clinical practice (reducing glucose exposure and monitoring peritoneal membrane function) might ameliorate peritoneal degeneration, reduce the incidence of EPS, and minimize the severity of the disease.

Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients After Kidney Transplantation

OBJECTIVE

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who were treated with long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). The risk of EPS was increased after kidney transplantation. In our study we evaluated risk factors for EPS patients after kidney transplantation who were treated before with PD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In our study, between January 2008 and August 2015, 47 PD patients (12 had EPS) who underwent kidney transplantation were analyzed. Age, gender, time of PD treatment, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching, cold ischemia time, kidney function (serum urea, creatinine, etc), comorbidities, immunosuppressive therapy, clinical features, and outcomes of PD patients were retrospectively evaluated in both groups.

RESULTS

Mean age was 42 (range, 25-60) years in EPS patients, versus 43 (range, 22-77) years without EPS (P = .798). Distribution of gender was similar in both groups (P = .154). The C-reactive protein levels (P < .001), number of patients with peritonitis (P = .001), length of time on PD (P < .001), and serum ferritin levels (P = .020) were higher in EPS patients. The immunosuppressive therapy was changed; tamoxifen and steroids were used after diagnosis in EPS patients. HLA matching was higher in the non-EPS group (P = .006). EPS was more often seen in patients who were treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD; 75%; P = .036). EPS was more often detected in cadaveric transplant recipients (83.3%; P = .024). High peritoneal transmittance rate was more identified in EPS (+) patients (P = .001). EPS was more often seen in patients who were treated with icodextrin-based regimens in PD before transplantation (91.7%; P = .037). The length of time on PD and high ferritin levels increased EPS 1.08 and 1.01, respectively (P = .036 and .049, respectively), in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

The length of time on PD, type of PD, PD regimens with icodextrin, episodes of peritonitis, and peritoneal transmittance in patients with CKD affect the development of EPS after transplantation.

Combined surgical and immunosupressive therapy for encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is an infrequent but serious complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis with 50% mortality and lack consensus on treatment. The pathogenesis of EPS is ill understood, and diagnosis lacks specificity and relies on clinical, radiographic and microscopic evaluation. Since there is no general agreement on managing EPS, we report a case treated successfully with surgery followed by immunosuppressive therapy with tamoxifen and steroids. He later successfully underwent deceased donor renal transplantation.

mTOR inhibitors for medical treatment of post-transplantation encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis: a favourable single center experience

BACKGROUND

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) causing intestinal obstruction. Two different forms of EPS are reported: the classical one observed in patients on PD, and post-transplantation EPS (PostTx-EPS). The first-line therapy of classical and PostTx-EPS remains surgical treatment, but for both the complication rate and mortality are high. Recently, a few cases of EPS were successfully treated with inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTORi). The aim of this study was to evaluate PostTx-EPS outcome in our patients, focusing on the potential benefit of mTORi treatment.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis on 1,048 kidney transplanted patients at our center between 11/2001 and 12/2011.

RESULTS

In the 226 patients treated with PD at any time before grafting, we found 10 cases of PostTx-EPS (prevalence 4.4%). The mean age was 54.9 years (26-69), with a mean time on PD of 83.1 months (33-156). The interval between kidney transplant and EPS diagnosis was 10.5 months (4-18.9). Five of the ten patients were treated after the diagnosis with mTORi, with a favorable outcome in 4/5 cases. This result was substantially independent of surgical and steroid therapy, performed in 9/10 and 10/10 patients respectively.

CONCLUSION

EPS is a serious complication but susceptible to improvement if early diagnosed. mTORi represent a useful option for EPS treatment. We too suggest adopting an immunosuppressive protocol based on mTORi, mycophenolate mofetil and steroids in order to prevent PostTx-EPS in transplanted patients at high risk.

Multidisciplinary clinical strategies for encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in peritoneal dialysis: update from Japan

Peritoneal dialysis is established as a first-line standard renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease. However, the development of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis has been a critical complication among long-term peritoneal dialysis patients. During the past decade, multidisciplinary approaches have been used to suppress encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis. The present article reviews the historical and present status of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in Japan.

Can EPS development be avoided with early interventions? The potential role of tamoxifen--a single-center study

BACKGROUND

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a severe complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Identification of patients at high risk for EPS ("EPS-prone") and delivery of appropriate interventions might prevent its development. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of all EPS and EPS-prone patients diagnosed at our PD unit.

METHODS

For a 30-year period representing our entire PD experience, we retrospectively identified all patients with EPS (diagnosed according to International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis criteria) and all patients defined as EPS-prone because they met at least 2 established criteria (severe peritonitis, PD vintage greater than 3 years, severe hemoperitoneum, overexposure to glucose, and acquired ultrafiltration failure).

RESULTS

Of 679 PD patients, we identified 20 with EPS, for an overall prevalence of 2.9%. Mean age at diagnosis was 50.2 ± 16.4 years, with a median PD time of 77.96 months (range: 44.36 - 102.7 months) and a median follow-up of 30.91 months (range: 4.6 - 68.75 months). Of patients with EPS, 10 (50%) received tamoxifen, 10 (50%) received parenteral nutrition, and 2 (10%) underwent adhesiolysis, with 25% mortality related to EPS. Another 14 patients were identified as EPS-prone. Median follow-up was 54.05 months (range: 11.9 - 87.04 months). All received tamoxifen, and 5 (36%) received corticosteroids; none progressed to full EPS. We observed no differences in baseline data between the groups, but the group with EPS had been on PD longer (84 ± 53 months vs 39 ± 20 months, p = 0.002) and had a higher cumulative number of days of peritoneal inflammation from peritonitis (17.2 ± 11.1 days vs 9.8 ± 7.9 days, p = 0.015). Overall mortality was similar in the groups. The incidence of EPS declined during our three decades of experience (5.6%, 3.9%, and 0.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Being a serious, life-threatening complication of PD, EPS requires high suspicion to allow for prompt diagnosis and treatment. Early detection of EPS-prone states and delivery of appropriate intervention might prevent EPS development. Tamoxifen seems to be a key strategy in prevention, but caution should be used in interpreting our results. Additional randomized controlled studies are needed.

A case of fulminant sclerosing peritonitis presented like acute culture-negative peritonitis and successfully treated with corticosteroid therapy

Sclerosing peritonitis is an uncommon complication of peritoneal dialysis. It is characterized by peritoneal fibrosis and sclerosis. The most common clinical presentations of sclerosing peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients are ultrafiltration failure and small bowel obstruction. The prognosis and response to immunosuppressive therapy of sclerosing peritonitis presenting with ultrafiltration failure or small bowel obstruction are poor. Here, we describe the case of a 28-yr-old man with end-stage renal disease on peritoneal dialysis showing fulminant sclerosing peritonitis presented like acute culture-negative peritonitis and was successfully treated with corticosteroid therapy. It is not well recognized that sclerosing peritonitis may present in this way. The correct diagnosis and corticosteroid therapy may be life-saving in a fulminant form of sclerosing peritonitis.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis after living donor liver transplantation: a case successfully treated with tamoxifen: report of a case

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a rare cause of bowel obstruction. It is difficult to diagnose and the prognosis is poor. This report describes a case of SEP after living donor liver transplantation that was successfully treated with tamoxifen. A 56-year-old male, that had received a liver transplant for hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma 5 years earlier, was admitted with continuous abdominal pain and nausea. He had increased C-reactive protein levels and white blood cell count, and underwent laparotomy 5 days after hospitalization. The surgical findings showed ascites and SEP of the small bowel. An attempt to peel off the adhesions was stopped because there was a strong risk of intestinal tract damage. Tamoxifen treatment was initiated for SEP after surgery. The patient's symptoms gradually improved and he was able to resume feeding. He had been symptom-free for over 3 years at the last follow-up.

Post-transplantation encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in a pediatric patient

BACKGROUND

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD), but only a few cases have been described in the pediatric patient population. There is no established medical treatment, and surgery has been reported with variable success. The number of reports of EPS being successfully treated with tamoxifen, based on its anti-fibrotic effects, are increasing. The role of sirolimus, an mTOR inhibitor with immunomodulatory and anti-proliferative properties, has been less well-defined.

CASE-DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT

A 17-year-old kidney transplant recipient, with a previous cumulative time on PD of 8 years and 3 months, developed severe bowel obstruction 8 months after undergoing a second kidney graft. Her immunosuppressive regimen consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisolone. The patient underwent laparotomy, which revealed multiple thick leathery adhesions with an encapsulated small bowel. Enterolysis was performed, and total parenteral nutrition was commenced after surgery to provide an adequate food intake. Treatment with tamoxifen was initiated, but the patient developed significant liver toxicity 2 weeks later, and the drug was withdrawn. The immunosuppressive regimen was changed to an increased dose of prednisolone, and tacrolimus was replaced with sirolimos. At 20 months of follow-up, the patient remains symptom-free, with a functioning kidney transplant.

CONCLUSION

Although EPS is a very rare condition in the pediatric population, it should be considered when a child or adolescent with a long-term history of PD presents with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms or with signs of bowel obstruction. There is an urgent need for alternative immunosuppressive protocols. The use of sirolimus in this group of patients remains controversial.

Peritoneal dialysis associated infections: An update on diagnosis and management

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is associated with a high risk of infection of the peritoneum, subcutaneous tunnel and catheter exit site. Although quality standards demand an infection rate < 0.67 episodes/patient/year on dialysis, the reported overall rate of PD associated infection is 0.24-1.66 episodes/patient/year. It is estimated that for every 0.5-per-year increase in peritonitis rate, the risk of death increases by 4% and 18% of the episodes resulted in removal of the PD catheter and 3.5% resulted in death. Improved diagnosis, increased awareness of causative agents in addition to other measures will facilitate prompt management of PD associated infection and salvage of PD modality. The aims of this review are to determine the magnitude of the infection problem, identify possible risk factors and provide an update on the diagnosis and management of PD associated infection. Gram-positive cocci such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, other coagulase negative staphylococcoci, and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are the most frequent aetiological agents of PD-associated peritonitis worldwide. Empiric antibiotic therapy must cover both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. However, use of systemic vancomycin and ciprofloxacin administration for example, is a simple and efficient first-line protocol antibiotic therapy for PD peritonitis - success rate of 77%. However, for fungal PD peritonitis, it is now standard practice to remove PD catheters in addition to antifungal treatment for a minimum of 3 wk and subsequent transfer to hemodialysis. To prevent PD associated infections, prophylactic antibiotic administration before catheter placement, adequate patient training, exit-site care, and treatment for S. aureus nasal carriage should be employed. Mupirocin treatment can reduce the risk of exit site infection by 46% but it cannot decrease the risk of peritonitis due to all organisms.

Additive effectiveness of everolimus plus tamoxifen therapy in treatment of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of the commonly used choices of continuous renal replacement therapies. Peritoneal membrane is damaged by using solutions with lower biocompatibility, peritonitis episodes, and vintage of PD therapy. Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare complication of PD and is presented by progressive fibrosis of the peritoneum. Fibrous tissue entrapment of the intestine, leading to complete intestinal obstruction, is referred to as EPS, the most severe form of sclerosing peritonitis. EPS is irreversible fibrosis of the peritoneal membrane usually associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Preventive strategies are the best choice of treatment. Also there is no proven effective therapy for EPS; there are only small-sized trials. Herein we present a case of EPS who improved with everolimus plus tamoxifen therapy.

Tamoxifen is associated with lower mortality of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis: results of the Dutch Multicentre EPS Study

BACKGROUND

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD) with an increasing incidence. There is no clear consensus on the treatment of EPS, but anecdotal reports indicate improvement in EPS patients treated with tamoxifen. At present, there is no evidence for the effect of tamoxifen treatment in EPS patients. This study investigates the effect of treatment with tamoxifen on survival in EPS patients.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective analysis of survival in EPS patients as part of the Dutch multicentre EPS study in the period January 1996 to July 2007. Sixty-three patients with severe EPS were followed up until August 2008. Demographic, patient and PD-related variables of EPS patients were investigated. Patients treated with tamoxifen were compared to patients not treated with tamoxifen. Survival was analysed with multivariate Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients were treated with tamoxifen, and 39 were not treated with tamoxifen. The clinical and demographic characteristics were similar for the tamoxifen-treated and non-treated groups. The mortality rate was significantly lower in tamoxifen-treated patients compared to EPS patients not treated with tamoxifen (45.8% vs 74.4%, P=0.03). Survival in tamoxifen-treated patients, adjusted for calendar time, age, use of corticosteroids, presence of functioning transplantation, use of parental nutrition and centre influences was longer in comparison to not-treated patients (HR 0.39, P=0.056).

CONCLUSIONS

Tamoxifen treatment in EPS patients is associated with lower mortality and shows a trend to an increased multivariate-adjusted survival. This supports additional use of tamoxifen to treat patients with severe EPS.

Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis—Medical and Surgical Treatment

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare but devastating complication. The patients at high risk for EPS include those on peritoneal dialysis (PD) for more than 8 – 10 years and patients with high peritoneal transport and frequent peritonitis. Effective medical treatment with tamoxifen and immunosuppressives (a steroid with or without azathioprine or mycophenolate) has been reported. Surgical enterolysis is needed when irreversible intestinal obstruction occurs. In experienced hands, mortality can be reduced to a few percentage points, but the recurrence rate is very high. Noble plication has been reported to reduce the recurrence rate. Accelerated EPS development may possibly occur after conversion from PD to HD.

Case report of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis: the interpretation of functional and structural peritoneal changes

A case report describing the evolution of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is presented to illustrate some of the functional and structural peritoneal membrane changes characteristic of this complication of peritoneal dialysis. The appropriate monitoring of peritoneal transport rates and ultrafiltration, together with attention to clinical signs and symptoms, are essential to the early diagnosis of peritoneal membrane deterioration. Recent reports suggest that timely interventions such as a peritoneal membrane rest period may effectively halt the progression of these functional and structural changes. While the optimal surgical and pharmacological treatment of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis remains uncertain, the latest literature provides a certain degree of optimism.

Chronic rejection with sclerosing peritonitis following pediatric intestinal transplantation

Intestinal transplantation is considered the usual treatment for patients with permanent intestinal failure when parenteral nutrition has failed. Chronic rejection is a complication difficult to diagnose because of the scarcity and lack of specificity in the symptoms and the characteristics of typical histological findings. We report the case of a four-yr-old patient who received an isolated intestinal transplant. After developing a chronic rejection he presented an intestinal obstruction secondary to a sclerosing peritonitis that required the surgical removal of the graft.

Tamoxifen therapy in encapsulating sclerosing peritonitis in patients after kidney transplantation

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a serious complication of long-term continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) associated with obstructive symptoms and sclerosis of the peritoneal membrane. We present two cases that were successfully treated with tamoxifen and corticosteroids. Case 1: A 40-year-old patient developed end-stage renal failure (ESRF) and was managed with CAPD. He was hospitalized with symptoms of small bowel obstruction. He underwent laparotomy confirming the diagnosis of SEP. The patient was given tamoxifen 20 mg twice a day. Case 2: A 55-year-old patient with ESRF secondary to membranous glomerulonephritis. After having a cadaveric renal transplant in 1978 that failed 20 years later, the patient returned to CAPD. Six years later he had an uneventful kidney transplant and the peritoneal dialysis catheter was removed. However, 8 months later he presented with symptoms of small bowel obstruction and gross blood stained ascites. He also underwent a laparotomy that confirmed the diagnosis of SEP after biopsy. The patient was started on 20 mg of tamoxifen twice a day. Both patients' symptoms were improved gradually with an increase of serum albumin and body weight. Tamoxifen may be useful in the treatment of patients diagnosed with SEP.

First Use of Tamoxifen in an HIV??Patient with Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare but serious life-threatening complication in peritoneal dialysis patients. At present, there is no evidence-based standard therapy for EPS. Tamoxifen has been used and shown good results in non-HIV peritoneal dialysis patients with EPS. We report a case of a patient with HIV treated with antiretroviral therapy (zidovudine, lamivudine and saquinavir) for several years. He had end-stage renal disease and was treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). After 11 years on CAPD, he developed EPS and was treated successfully with tamoxifen in combination with corticosteroids. No adverse effects were observed and no changes were noted in CD4 counts or HIV viral load during this therapy. These findings suggest that tamoxifen can be safely given to HIV patients with peritoneal dialysis-related EPS. Nevertheless, caution is required as tamoxifen could interact with certain antiretroviral agents.

Fulminant sclerosing peritonitis immediately following acute bacterial peritonitis

Sclerosing peritonitis (SP) is an uncommon disease in the peritoneal dialysis population, but the considerable morbidity and mortality associated with it make early diagnosis and treatment imperative. We describe a case illustrating that a fulminant variant of SP can occur as a second phase phenomenon immediately following treatment of acute bacterial peritonitis, a setting in which the diagnosis may be masked and aggressive immunosuppression considered potentially hazardous. Treatment with corticosteroid alone appears particularly effective for SP occurring in this setting.

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis

Since the first peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) were reported in 1980, EPS has been considered primarily a fatal complication. The incidence of EPS in PD patients has been reported to be from 0.7% to 7.3%, and the rate appears to be higher in patients receiving long-term treatment. Most data from Japan has shown an overall incidence of 2.5% with an evident negative effect of increasing duration of PD, which also augments mortality. Since EPS occurred after withdrawal from PD in more than half of the patients, strict monitoring is necessary when a long-term PD patient is withdrawn from PD. Maintaining patients on standard PD for more than 8 years using conventional solutions is associated with a substantial risk for development of EPS. Appropriate treatment according to the disease stage is most important in EPS treatment. Therefore, when examining a PD patient complaining of gastrointestinal symptoms, the possibility of EPS has to be kept in mind. Basic therapeutic tactics for EPS include appropriate use of steroids. If the state of bowel obstruction persists, laparotomy and enterolysis should be performed to obtain a complete cure. It is now recognized that EPS is not a fatal complication of PD.

Acute-onset, steroid-sensitive, encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in a renal transplant recipient

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is a severe complication of peritoneal dialysis. Immunosuppressive drugs have been claimed to be helpful in the treatment of this disease, although the pathophysiological background is poorly understood. In this report, we present a patient with encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis after successful renal transplantation. Maintenance immunosuppressive therapy consisted of mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, and low-dose corticosteroids. The patient was treated successfully with high doses of corticosteroids. A subsequent relapse of the encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis, probably resulting from fast tapering of the corticosteroid dose, responded well to an increase in corticosteroid dose. Our case strongly supports a therapeutic role for high-dose steroids in the treatment of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis during its initial inflammatory stage.