title: Impact of break-in period on the short-term outcomes of patients started on peritoneal dialysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of the first-line modalities of renal replacement therapy in patients with end-stage renal disease. Guidelines recommended a break-in period of at least 2 weeks before full PD start. However, the optimal duration of the break-in period is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effect of various break-in periods on short-term outcomes in patients on PD. ♢
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients who underwent Tenckhoff catheter implantation and initiated PD in Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2010 were included. Patients were grouped according to the duration of their break-in period: 7 days or less (BI ≤ 7), 8 - 14 days (BI8-14), and more than 14 days (BI>14). Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to compare short-term outcomes in the various groups. ♢
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study enrolled 657 patients (44.5% men), of whom 344, 137, and 176 patients were in the respective break-in groups. Compared with BI>14 patients, BI ≤ 7 patients had a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (5.34 ± 1.86 mL/min/1.73 m(2) vs 6.55 ± 1.71 mL/min/1.73 m(2), p < 0.001) and lower serum albumin (33.29 ± 5.36 g/L vs 36.64 ± 5.40 g/L, p < 0.001). The incidence of mechanical complications during the first 6 months was significantly higher in BI ≤ 7 patients than in BI>14 patients (8.4% vs 1.7%, p = 0.004). However, we observed no significant differences between the three groups with respect to the prevalence of catheter dysfunction requiring surgical intervention (p > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that BI ≤ 7 [relative risk: 4.322; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.278 to 14.608; p = 0.019] was an independent predictor of catheter dysfunction, but not of catheter dysfunction requiring surgical intervention (p > 0.05). Catheter dysfunction [hazard ratio (HR): 20.087; 95% CI: 7.326 to 55.074; p < 0.001] and peritonitis (HR: 4.533; 95% CI: 1.748 to 11.751; p = 0.002) were risk factors for technique failure during the first 6 months, but BI ≤ 7 was not correlated with technique failure. ♢
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients starting PD with a break-in period of less than 1 week might experience a minor increased risk of mechanical complications, but no major effect on technique survival.
authors: Renal Division, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis Research, Molecular Cell Lab for Kidney Disease, Shanghai, PR China.
authors: Yaorong
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Aiwu
authors: A
authors: Lin
authors: Zhaohui
authors: Z
authors: Ni
authors: Jiaqi
authors: J
authors: Qian
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Fang
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Break-in period; catheter-related complications; peritonitis; technique survival