Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
A Retrograde Implantation Approach for Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement in Mice
Published on: July 20, 2022
Successes and pitfalls of chronic peritoneal dialysis in infants - a Polish nationwide outcome study
Anna Jander1, Irena Makulska, Joanna Latoszyńska
1Nephrology Division, Department of Paediatrics and Immunology, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, Lodz, Poland.
Insights
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) in infants presents nutritional challenges, but long-term outcomes for pediatric end-stage renal disease patients are encouraging, despite a high peritonitis rate.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Renal Replacement Therapy
Background:
- Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a key renal replacement therapy for pediatric end-stage renal disease.
- Advances enable PD for infants and children of all sizes.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the outcomes of chronic peritoneal dialysis in infants.
- Assess nutritional status, survival, and complications in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- Multicenter retrospective analysis of 33 children initiating PD in infancy (1993-2005).
- Minimum 24-month follow-up.
- Data collected on nutritional status, PD outcomes, and complications.
Main Results:
- Infants exhibited unsatisfactory nutritional status (mean SDS -2.0 at start, -1.7 at 1 year).
- Long-term outcomes: 12 transplants, 13 on PD (4 changed method), 6 deaths (9% first-year mortality).
- High peritonitis rate (1/8.8 patient-months) compared to general PD population.
Conclusions:
- Managing infants on PD remains challenging for healthcare teams and families.
- Despite challenges, long-term therapeutic results for pediatric PD are encouraging.
Introduction:
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a preferred method of renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease in children. Recent advances have allowed chronic PD to be provided to children of all ages and sizes.
Material And Methods:
The study was designed as a national (10 dialysis centres), multicentre retrospective analysis of the medical history of 33 children who started chronic peritoneal dialysis in their infancy between 1993 and 2005, with a follow-up period of at least 24 months.
Results:
The nutritional status of the infants was unsatisfactory. The mean SDS of body weight at the start was -2.0, at 1 year of age -1.7. Only 40% of infants were adequately nourished at 1 year of age. Long-term follow-up analysis showed that 12 children received a kidney transplant, 13 were still on dialysis (4 changed method) and 6 died (mortality rate in the first year of life of 9%). In 2 children we observed an improvement of renal function. We observed a relatively high (1/8.8 patient-months) peritonitis rate in the analysed children when compared to 1 : 22 patient-months in all children undergoing PD in Poland.
Conclusions:
The results of our survey have shown that the management of dialysed infants is still a challenge for the medical team and families, but long-term results of the therapy are encouraging.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Peritoneal Dialysis II: Peritoneal Dialysis Systems and Complications
01:30Peritoneal Dialysis I: Introduction and Procedure
01:25Peritoneal Dialysis III: Nursing Management
01:27Dialysis
Acute kidney injury develops suddenly and can be caused by pre-renal causes (e.g., hypovolemia, shock), intrinsic renal causes (e.g., acute tubular necrosis), or post-renal causes (e.g., urinary obstruction). In contrast, chronic renal failure progresses gradually over time and is often...
01:20Acute Kidney Injury V: Interprofessional Care
01:24Hemodialysis II: Procedure and Complications