Home dialysis as a first option: a new paradigm

Traditionally, the initial choice of dialysis for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) has been in-center hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). Usually, the choice between these (PD vs. HD) has been based on the characteristics of the dialysis techniques. Obviously the choice of peritoneal dialysis implied dialysis at home, but its geographic location has been only a secondary consideration. Peritoneal dialysis has evolved as a dependable mode that gives good outcomes. This method has become more attractive with the option of overnight cyclers and the recent use of home helpers in some jurisdictions. At the same time the interest in home hemodialysis was rekindled by reports of good outcomes with short daily or nocturnal hemodialysis. Home dialysis (PD or HD) offers high quality of treatment, a high degree of patient independence, and is financially attractive. Therefore, we propose a change in our approach to the choice of the initial form of dialysis for patients with ESRD. Instead of choosing between HD and PD we should present the new patients the advantage of dialysis at home and instead of asking them to choose between peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis, they should be offered the option to choose between dialysis at home (PD or HD) or in-hospital. This paper will review the advantages of the home-based dialysis methods and the arguments for this simple but vital change in the process of choosing the method of dialysis.