title: Peritoneal dialysis: An effective yet underused renal replacement therapy.
abstract: Chronic kidney disease affects more than 30 million people in the United States, creating a significant disease burden. Peritoneal dialysis, an effective yet underused method of renal replacement therapy, can provide a high quality of life, maintain a patient's residual renal function, and decrease overall healthcare costs with little negative effect on patient morbidity or mortality. Given this, knowledge of the methods, outcomes, and costs of renal replacement therapy is essential to physician assistants.
authors.affiliation: Mary K. Laxton is academic coordinator and a clinical assistant professor in the PA program at Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa. The author has disclosed that a close family member used peritoneal dialysis before a renal transplant in 2014. She has no other potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Laxton
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D017582:Renal Replacement Therapy