Prevention of Peritoneal Dialysis Drop-Out

Compared with hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) is associated with reduced cost and improved quality of life. But despite those benefits, PD represents a small percentage of the renal replacement therapy performed. Although a number of factors contribute to that situation, peritoneal drop-out is a complex issue that leads to as much as a 35% annual transition from PD to in-center HD. The reasons for drop-out are multifaceted and include contributions from the patient or caregiver, health care regulatory systems, and factors intrinsic to the PD modality. In this review, we focus on specific causes of PD drop-out and on prevention and intervention strategies that can improve success and duration on PD.