A longitudinal change of peritoneal equilibration test results in peritoneal dialysis patients aged 60 years and above: a 4-year observation study in comparison with a younger group.
BACKGROUND
The number of elderly people with end-stage renal disease has grown in developed countries and medical teams now face the choice of dialysis therapy in elderly patients. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed two peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, of different ages, who were treated at the same unit by the same PD team of doctors and nurses. Our purpose was to study peritoneal membrane changes in elderly and younger PD patients.


METHODS
108 patients above 60 years of age or younger at the start of dialysis, were separated into two cohorts. Diabetic patients were excluded. Peritoneal equilibration test (PET) results taken over 4 continuous years were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
No significant differences were seen between the two groups in peritoneal transport (D/P Cr, D/D0 glucose) during the 4-year observation. Total Kt/V and renal creatinine clearance (Ccr) values in the 4-year period were not significantly different between the two groups. Renal Ccr values showed a longitudinal decline in the two groups but the values of total Kt/V revealed a consistency over the 4-year period.


CONCLUSIONS
Elderly PD patients demonstrated a similar peritoneal permeability to younger PD patients based on a 4-year PET.
Chen
Miao-Chen
MC
Nephrology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chen
Jin-Bor
JB
Liao
Shang-Chih
SC
Hsu
Kuo-Tai
KT
Lam
King-Kwan
KK
Chuang
Feng-Rong
FR
Chien
Yu-Shu
YS
Lee
Chien-Te
CT
Lee
Chih-Shiung
CS
Cheng
Ben-Chung
BC
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis