[Clinical experience with icodextrin. Multicenter study]

The aim of this study was to analyse our experience with icodextrin in Andalusia, Spain. The study includes 51 patients (30 women and 21 men) on peritoneal dialysis (21 on CAPD and 30 on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis) treated with icodextrin for 10.3 +/- 7 months (0-41 months). Their mean age was 57 +/- 18 years (18-86 years). We have recorded the appearance of side effects, and the evolution of several biochemical parameters at baseline and after 6, 12 ans 18 months from initiation of icodextrin. We also studied drainage fluid from 12 patients after an icodextrin exchange.

There were side effects (all cutaneous) in 4 out of 51 patients (7.8%). Two of the affected suffered from cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions, and icodextrin had to be suspended; the other two had exfoliative dermatitis affecting hands and feet that disappeared without have to withdraws icodextrin. Biochemical parameters: Serum sodium levels decreased from baseline to six months (138 +/- 6 mEq/l vs 136 +/- 3 mEq/l; p = 0.006), and then persisted at the same levels throughout the rest of the study period. There was a slight but significant decreased of serum HDL-cholesterol at six months vs baseline (55 +/- 26 mg/dl vs 51 +/- 20 mg/dl, p = 0.04), and a further decrease at twelve months vs six months (42 +/- 15 mg/dl vs 51 +/- 13 mg/dl, p = 0.054). There were no significant variations of glucose, osmolality, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol (tendency to increase), triglycerides, beta 2 m and weight (tendency to increase; p = 0.08). In relation with the icodextrin exchange: average ultrafiltration 296 +/- 119 ml (ranging from 104 to 480 ml), creatinine clearance 1.9 +/- 0.5 litres (20.5% of daily creatinine clearance), urea clearance 2.08 +/- 0.5 litres (18.7% of daily urea clearance), total protein losses 3.2 +/- 0.9 g, albumin losses 1.4 +/- 0.5 g; urea and creatinine clearances were negatively correlated with ratios D/P4 of urea and creatinine of PET and positively correlated with ratio G4/G0. In conclusion, side effects are scarce with the use of icodextrin. As described in other studies, there is a trend to a slight decrease in serum sodium. The long-term use of icodextrin does not-prevent weight gain or deterioration of patients on peritoneal dialysis, despite the diminution of glucose load.