Overview of peritoneal dialysis in Latin America

Latin America is a heterogeneous region comprised of 20 countries, former colonies of European countries, in which Latin-derived languages are spoken. According to the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension/Sociedad Latino Americana de Nefrologia e Hipertensión (SLANH), the acceptance rate for renal replacement therapy is 103 new patients per million population. In Latin America, hemodialysis is the predominant form of replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease; however, some countries employ peritoneal dialysis (PD) in 30% or more patients. In particular, Mexico is the country with the largest PD utilization in the world, and furthermore, it is estimated that approximately 25% of the world's PD population may be found Latin America. Data concerning clinical practice and long-term outcome of PD in Latin America are scarce, although regional registries are increasing in number and quality. In this review article, we present an overview of the situation of PD in several countries of Latin America, based on the registry of the SLANH, national registries, and personal communication with PD experts from different countries.