Sequential clearance and dialysance measurements in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients

The long-term efficiency of chronic peritoneal dialysis was investigated during a 10-months follow-up period in eight patients with indwelling Tenckhoff catheters by determining sequential urea, creatine and glucose clearances. Dialysis was performed in the hospital with nurses changing commercially prepared 2-liter dialysate bottles. Mean +/- SE urea clearance declined from an initial valua of 23.6 +/- 1.5 ml/min to 17.7 +/- 1.2 at the termination of the study. The mean glucose and creatinine clearance also decreased from 14.1 +/- 0.9 to 10.2 +/- 0.7 and from 17.5 +/- 1.9 to 12.9 +/- 1.0, respectively. All of these decreases were statistically significant (p less than 0.05) by paired t testing analysis. It is concluded that the efficiency of chronic peritoneal dialysis may decline during maintenance therapy and that sequential clearance measurements should be obtained in all chronic peritoneal dialysis patients.