title: Ultrasonographic evaluation of peritoneal membrane thickness and comparison with the effectiveness and duration of CAPD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The few studies on the morphology and functions of CAPD and peritoneum have tended to use histological and histomorphometrical methods. However, such methods are known to require biopsy, which is an invasive method. The present study aims to determine the morphological changes established by ultrasonography in CAPD patients, as well as achieving a comparison between these changes and the functional properties of peritoneum in CAPD. We aim to determine the effects of the duration of CAPD upon peritoneal thickness.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 42 CAPD patients. Twenty-four of them had peritoneal dialysis (PD) duration of less than 24 months (Group 1) and 18 of them had PD duration of longer than 48 months (Group 2). Patients with a history of surgery involving the peritoneum and abdomen and with a history of peritonitis in the last 3 months were excluded. We examined the parietal peritoneum by trans-abdominal ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant positive correlation between PD duration and peritoneal thickness of each quadrant. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between membrane thickness and creatinine clearance (CrCl), peritoneal Kt/V (pKt/V) and normalized protein catabolic rate. There was a positive significant correlation between membrane thickness and dialysate/plasma creatinine ratio. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups according to their peritoneal membrane thickness. CrCl and pKt/V values were better in Group 1 than in Group 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study revealed that increased PD duration may have a relation with increased peritoneal membrane thickness, and this can be associated with less effective PD. Ultrasound imaging has an important role for evaluating peritoneal membrane thickness without using an invasive method such as biopsy and can be performed easily in dialysis clinics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26140, Meselik, Eskisehir, Turkey, gokhan_tem@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Temiz
authors.forename: Garip
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mukerrem
authors.forename: Sultan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozkurt
authors.forename: Nevbahar Akcar
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Degirmenci
authors.forename: Ahmet Ugur
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Yalcin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003404:Creatinine / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine