The role of peritoneal fibrosis in encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis.

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication of long-term continuous peritoneal dialysis therapy. The progression of EPS has been classified into four stages by Kawanishi and colleagues: pre-EPS, and the inflammatory, encapsulating, and ileus stages. The key issue is how to diagnose EPS early enough to allow for curative treatment. In this article, we review the mechanisms of peritoneal fibrosis, especially from the perspective of collagen synthesis, and the potential role of that fibrosis in the pathogenesis of EPS.