Peritoneal sclerosis--an overview.

The term peritoneal sclerosis encompasses a vast range of peritoneal alterations, from the low clinical impact manifestations associated with chronic peritoneal dialysis, to dramatic thickening of the peritoneal membrane, which is rare, but often life-threatening. The frequency, pathology, etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnostic criteria, therapy, and prevention of peritoneal sclerosis are reviewed. Preliminary observations from the Italian Registry of Peritoneal Sclerosis, established in the framework of a program of the Italian Society of Nephrology, are reported.