Long-term survival in haemodialysis patients

Survival rates and causes of death were analysed for 177 patients who started dialysis between 1970 and 1975. 99 patients survived 5 years of treatment, and at this stage 74 had functioning transplants; thereafter, only 4 changed between treatment by dialysis and transplantation. For patients surviving for 5 years those treated by dialysis and those treated by transplantation had a similar probability (+/- standard error) of surviving to 10 years (0.84 +/- 0.07 v 0.82 +/- 0.04), but the probability of surviving to 15 years was lower for dialysis patients than for transplant patients (0.31 +/- 0.14 v 0.63 +/- 0.08; p less than 0.05). Infection, particularly with Staphylococcus aureus, was an important cause of late mortality in dialysis patients.