[Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis--an effective method of treatment in chronic renal failure]

The authors evaluate the results of treatment of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in seven patient with chronic renal failure during a 12-month period. The baseline examination was made one month before CAPD was started, one day before insertion of a Tenckhoff catheter and then after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. The highest assessed mean serum urea concentrations during treatment were 19.8 +/- 2.3 mmol/l (arithmetic mean +/- SE of the mean), creatinine 815.1 +/- 43.1 mmol/l. The haematocrit improved significantly due to CAPD. From the mean value of 22.5 +/- 1.7% recorded one month before treatment it increased to 32.8 +/- 2.5% after 12 months of therapy. In five patients CAPD made it possible to discontinue and in two to reduce antihypertensive medication. During the investigation period the authors did not detect a drop of total protein and albumin in serum. Serum cholesterol increased significantly during treatment. Peritonitis was recorded four times during the total period of 70 months of treatment, i.e. on average one episode during 17.5 months of treatment. Based on their results the authors conclude that CAPD is at present one of the very effective methods of treatment of chronic renal failure. The incidence of peritonitis was already during the first year when treatment was initiated comparable with the results in departments where it is commonly used and after further experience it declined to one episode per 38.8 months of treatment. The method deserves wider application than hitherto.