title: Patients with learning difficulties: outcome on peritoneal dialysis.
abstract: In the present study, we identified patients who had difficulties learning the minimum knowledge and skills required to carry out peritoneal dialysis (PD), and we compared the outcomes in this subgroup of patients with outcomes in the general PD population. We calculated the mean learning sessions needed by our total PD population during the training period. We then assigned patients to one of two groups according to the number of learning sessions they needed. Patients who required a number of sessions equal to or less than the mean were placed in the "standard learning" group; patients who required more sessions but who reached the minimum knowledge and skills were placed in the "learning difficulties " group. We compared these two groups in terms of age, sex, diabetes status, autonomy to perform PD, family support, education level, residual renal function, and Charlson comorbidity index. Outcomes on PD included time to first peritonitis episode, peritonitis rate, percentage of patients free of peritonitis during follow-up, survival time on PD, and transfer to hemodialysis. Patients with learning difficulties were older and had more comorbidities. Outcomes on PD in the learning difficulties group were similar to those in the standard learning group, except for time to first peritonitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitar Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, Spain. mborras@arnau.scs.es
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borràs
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sorolla
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carrera
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villagrassa
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome