title: Peritoneal dialysis in children under 5 years of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report our experience with maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD) in small children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective analysis of the patient records of all children under the age of 5 years treated with continuous peritoneal dialysis (CPD) between 1986 and 1994 in Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment was started and the patients were seen at the outpatient clinic at the Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, every 3 months. Between these visits, they had controls at their local hospital every 2-4 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  The most common primary renal disease in these 34 patients was congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (27 patients). Others were: congenital nephrotic syndrome (3 patients), polycystic kidney disease (1), urethral valve (1), neuroblastoma (1), and renal dysplasia (1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age at onset was 1.6 years and median treatment time 9.3 months. Time spent in hospital decreased from 270 days/year in the 1980s to 150 days/year in the 1990s. Two children died (5.9%). The peritonitis rate on continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis was 1:11.5 patient-months. Hernias were diagnosed in 29% of the patients. After 3 months half of the patients were on antihypertensive medication. Pulmonary edema was diagnosed once in 12 patients and twice in 2 patients. During the first 6 months on PD the mean height standard deviation score (hSDS) increased from -2.13 to -1.66 (p < 0.0001). The 6-month change in hSDS before initiation and 6 months after the start of CPD increased from -0.12 +/-0.68 to +0.59 +/- 0.64 (p = 0.0008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that peritoneal dialysis is feasible and safe in small children. Mortality was low and growth was good. The major challenges presented by CPD therapy were maintenance of optimal nutrition, avoidance of peritonitis, and control of volemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Transplantation, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hölttä
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rönnholm
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jalanko
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ala-Houhala
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antikainen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holmberg
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009392:Nephrectomy; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000151:congenital / Q000628:therapy*; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome