Publications by authors named "Gertrude Kopriva-Altfahrt"
Article Synopsis
- - Peritonitis is a serious issue for patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), leading to complications like hospitalization and increased mortality, with varying incidence rates across different centers.
- - A study conducted in seven Austrian PD units found the peritonitis incidence rate to be 0.32 episodes per patient per year, revealing that oral active vitamin D treatment significantly reduces the risk of peritonitis by 57%.
- - Factors like having low serum albumin levels, older age, and pre-existing cardiomyopathy were linked to a higher risk of peritonitis and increased mortality, while oral active vitamin D treatment was associated with lower mortality rates.
Background: Catheter-associated infections markedly contribute to treatment failure in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. There is much controversy surrounding prophylactic strategies to prevent these infections.
Methods: In this nationwide multicenter study we analyzed strategies to prevent catheter-associated infections as performed in Austrian PD centers in 2006.
Personality psychology is increasingly used in various clinical medicine settings to help in decision-making in difficult situations, especially in chronic disease. Patients with chronic renal disease are very dependent on modern medicine, and psychological aspects could help give answers in certain circumstances. Logotherapy and Existence analysis, after Viktor Frankl (Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy), is the theory of the possibilities and conditions for a fulfilled existence and evaluates a different aspect of personality psychology, namely meaning (in life).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProphylaxis and treatment of catheter-related infections in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) are the key to success of this type of renal replacement therapy. Prophylactic antibiotic therapy before catheter implantation significantly reduces the risk of peritonitis in the first month after operation. However, this strategy does not influence the risk of infections of the exit site and catheter tunnel.
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