title: Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) versus hospital or home haemodialysis for end-stage renal disease in adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal replacement therapy (RRT) with dialysis and transplantation is the only means of sustaining life for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although transplantation is the treatment of choice, the number of donor kidneys are limited and transplants may fail. Hence many patients require long-term or even life-long dialysis. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is an alternative to hospital or home haemodialysis for patients with ESRD.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the benefits and harms of CAPD versus hospital or home haemodialysis for adults with ESRD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL in The Cochrane Library), the Cochrane Renal Group's specialised register, MEDLINE (1966 - May 2002), EMBASE (1980 - May 2002), BIOSIS, CINAHL, SIGLE and NRR without language restriction. Reference lists of retrieved articles and conference proceedings were searched and known investigators and biomedical companies were contacted. Date of most recent search January 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs comparing CAPD to hospital or home haemodialysis for adults with ESRD were to be included.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two reviewers independently assess the methodological quality of studies. Data was abstracted from included studies onto a standard form by one reviewer and checked by another. Statistical analyses were performed using the random effects model and the results expressed as relative risk (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and weighted mean difference (WMD) for continuous outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  One trial, reported in abstract form only, was located in the most recent search. There was no statistical difference in death or quality adjusted life years score at 2 years between peritoneal dialysis or haemodialysis patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is Insufficient data to allow conclusions to be drawn about the relative effectiveness of CAPD compared with hospital or home haemodialysis for adults with ESRD. Efforts should be made to start and complete adequately powered RCTs, which compare the different dialysis modalities.
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Research Unit/Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, Medical School Building, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK, AB25 2ZD. ldv@hsru.abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cody
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macleod
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006437:Hemodialysis, Home; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory