Peritoneal dialysis for chronic renal failure in a patient with methylmalonic acidaemia

Chronic renal failure is a common complication of methylmalonic acidaemia (MMA). It is usually managed with haemodialysis and renal transplantation. We report the use of continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) for 20 months in a paediatric patient with chronic renal failure due to MMA. This procedure resulted in the elimination of 950 micromol methylmalonate (MM) per day and a fall in the plasma MM concentration from 3.9 to 0.74 mmol/l. As a result of this treatment, the frequency at which this patient was hospitalised was markedly reduced prior to a successful renal transplantation.