Peritoneal dialysis prescription for diabetic patients

The number of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with diabetes mellitus has increased dramatically during the past few years and, in many countries, diabetes has become the most important cause of ESRD in patients admitted to dialysis. Furthermore, compared to nondiabetic patients, diabetic patients continue to suffer from more frequent and severe comorbidity and complications, including cardiovascular disease, poor fluid balance, worse quality of life, as well as high morbidity and mortality after initiation of dialysis. These systemic problems in diabetic patients should influence the dialysis prescription. In addition, the structure and transport properties of the peritoneal membrane may deteriorate as a consequence of diabetes. Thus, both the systemic and the peritoneal consequences of diabetes influence the dialysis prescription in diabetic patients. In this brief review, we discuss the care of diabetic ESRD patients on peritoneal dialysis--which, compared with hemodialysis, has both advantages and disadvantages in this group of patients--focusing on the special needs for intense and integrated care involving individualized dialysis prescription as well as care of diabetic complications and comorbidity in this diseased patient group.