Peritoneal dialysis with a lower dosage versus conventional intermittent hemodialysis in acute kidney injury: A...

Literature regarding the outcomes of lower dosage peritoneal dialysis (PD) in treating acute kidney injury (AKI) among resource-limited setting is sparse. This study aims to compare the risk of mortality in patients with AKI receiving lower PD dosage and conventional intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) in Thailand.

In a tertiary center in Thailand, a matched case-control study using propensity scores in patients with AKI was conducted to compare the outcomes between lower PD dosage (18 L per day for first two sessions, weekly Kt/V 2.2) and IHD (three times a week) from February 2015 to January 2016. The primary outcome was a 30-day in-hospital mortality rate. Secondary outcomes included dialysis dependence at 90 days.

Eighty-four patients were included (28 PD and 56 IHD). Patient characteristics were comparable between two treatment groups. Overall, the mean age was 58 years. Most of the patients were critically ill (87% need mechanical ventilator; mean acute physiological and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) score: 25). The 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was similar between the PD and IHD patients (57% vs. 46%, p = 0.36). The dialysis dependence rate was also comparable at 90 days. The risk of death among AKI patients was higher in those with respiratory failure, higher APACHE II score, and starting dialysis with blood urea nitrogen greater than 70 mg dL^-1.

Clinical outcomes, including risk of mortality and 90-day dialysis dependence among patients with AKI, appear to be comparable between lower dosage PD and IHD.