Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Learn how dialysis can raise your risk of blood infections, who is most affected, and what can be done to lower risks and improve outcomes.
Dialysis, a process in which a person’s blood is directed into a machine that filters out toxins and wastes then returns the blood to the person’s body, is the most common treatment for people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). For a person whose kidneys no longer function, dialysis can prolong life by several years. It is not, however, without its own risks, most notably infection. Learn how dialysis can lead to infection, who is most at risk, and what can be done about it.*
Regardless of whether you receive hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, the procedure requires having to frequently access blood vessels through needles and catheters (thin, flexible tubes). Bacteria and other germs have many opportunities to enter your bloodstream and cause infections that can result in life-threatening sepsis.
Many germs naturally live on our skin. Others can be transported to the needles and tubes, or can grow on the equipment if it’s not properly cleaned. The most common group of germs that cause blood infections is Staphylococcus aureus, often abbreviated as ‘staph,’ which can be challenging to treat.
More than half of the 800,000 people in the U.S. with ESKD belong to ethnic or racial minority communities. More Black and Hispanic people on dialysis than White people on dialysis develop bloodstream infections. Staph-related bloodstream infections occur more often in:
All of these factors can impact individuals’ ability to access appropriate levels and quality of care.
The occurrence of bloodstream infections among dialysis patients has fallen significantly since 2014, largely due to widespread efforts to improve kidney disease prevention and care across diverse racial and ethnic groups, as well as people of varying socioeconomic status.
Some specific ways that providers can help reduce infection risk from dialysis in their patients include:
Improving patient, caregiver, and technician training regarding infection prevention and control can also help keep dialysis patients safe both at dialysis centers and at home.
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, February 6.) Preventing Bloodstream Infections in People on Dialysis.https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/dialysis-infections/index.html#:~
Source: {{articlecontent.article.sourceName}}
Receive daily updated expert-reviewed article summaries. Everything you need to know from discoveries, treatments, and living tips!
Already a Responsum member?
Available for Apple iOS and Android
Add Comments
Cancel