TNC/WBC count should be obtained after how long of a dwell?

TNC/WBC count should be obtained after how long of a dwell?

• A. 2 hours
• B. 3 hours
• C. 4 hours
• D. 5 hours

Answer: (C)

White blood cell (WBC) count in the peritoneal effluent is used to diagnose peritonitis in PD patients. The number of cells that appear in the drained fluid depends on how long the dialysate dwells in the abdomen because inflammatory cells need time to migrate into the effluent. Sampling too early can yield a falsely low count, while waiting an appropriate amount of time allows for an accurate reflection of the inflammatory response. Four hours is the standard dwell time used when obtaining the effluent cell count because it provides a reliable balance: enough time for leukocytes to migrate into the dialysate, but still practical for routine clinical workflows. After this dwell, the effluent is drained and sent for WBC counting (and differential) to assess for peritonitis.

White blood cell (WBC) count in the peritoneal effluent is used to diagnose peritonitis in PD patients. The number of cells that appear in the drained fluid depends on how long the dialysate dwells in the abdomen because inflammatory cells need time to migrate into the effluent. Sampling too early can yield a falsely low count, while waiting an appropriate amount of time allows for an accurate reflection of the inflammatory response. Four hours is the standard dwell time used when obtaining the effluent cell count because it provides a reliable balance: enough time for leukocytes to migrate into the dialysate, but still practical for routine clinical workflows. After this dwell, the effluent is drained and sent for WBC counting (and differential) to assess for peritonitis.