Is simply washing hands before dialysis procedures sufficient for reducing peritoneal dialysis peritonitis?—A single center study from 2015 to 2020 in Yiwu, China

Abstract Introduction The study aimed to improve the qualified rate of hand hygiene and reduce the incidence of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods A hand hygiene questionnaire was distributed to patients during home visits and outpatient visits in 2015 and 2020. Hand‐washing practices were evaluated by collecting cultures from the hands of patients after hand washing, evaluating their household environment, and recording the antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic bacteria. Results Compared to patients in 2015, patients in 2020 had fewer errors in hand washing ( p < 0.05), but the rate of qualification after hand washing was lower ( p < 0.01). Furthermore, patients who used hand disinfectants after washing had a higher qualified rate. Coagulase‐negative staphylococcus (CNS) was the most common isolated bacteria. From 2015 to 2020, the annual incidence of CNS PD peritonitis did not decrease, while the proportion of methicillin‐resistant CNS decreased. Conclusion The use of hand disinfectants after standard hand washing may help reduce the incidence of peritonitis in PD patients.