Abstract: Aim  To clarify whether peritoneal dialysis associated peritonitis is a risk factor for cardiovascular events in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.  Methods  The patients undergoing PD treatment in our peritoneal dialysis center were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into peritonitis group and non-peritonitis group based on whether they had experienced the peritonitis. Their baseline demographic and clinical data were recruited. The occurrence of peritonitis and cardiovascular events were collected in follow-up study. Regression model was used to analyze the relationship between peritonitis and cardiovascular events.  Results A total of 772 PD patients were included in this study, including 458 (59.3%) in the non-peritonitis group and 314 (40.6%) in the peritonitis group. During the follow-up period, cardiovascular events happened in 187 patients (24.2%), of which 88 patients (47.1%) presented the cardiovascular events after the onset of peritonitis and the median time from the onset of peritonitis to cardiovascular events was 10.3 (1.4, 30.0) months. In the 88 patients having cardiovascular events after peritonitis, 20 patients (22.7%) experienced cardiovascular events within 30 days after peritonitis and 68 patients (77.3%) experienced cardiovascular events beyond 30 days after peritonitis. In the peritonitis group, cardiovascular events happened in 107 patients (34.1%), of which 88 patients (82.2%) had early onset of peritonitis and 19 patients (17.8%) did not; in the non-peritonitis group, cardiovascular events happened in 80 cases (17.5%). Therefore, the risk of cardiovascular events in PD patients was higher in PD patients with peritonitis episodes (OR 2.442, 95% CI：1.746～3.416, P＜0.001). After adjusting for age, diabetes and eGFR, the risk of cardiovascular events after peritonitis remained higher (2.434, 95% CI：1.736～3.412, P＜0.001).  Conclusions   Peritoneal dialysis associated peritonitis is a risk factor for cardiovascular events in PD patients.

Key words: Peritoneal dialysis, Peritoneal dialysis associated peritonitis, Cardiovascular event, Risk factor