Changes of peritoneal membrane function during long-term CAPD.

Peritoneal equilibration tests (PETs) in patients on CAPD show wide variations. To find out whether these are correlated with time on CAPD, we investigated changes in PET in 97 tests in 86 patients. 46 PETs were performed with a 1.36% glucose solution and 40 PETs with a 3.86% glucose solution at different time intervals. Neither did the intra-individual comparison of 11 patients with 1.36% glucose solution following 1 year of treatment show any significant change nor the inter-individual comparison following a treatment time of 1 and 2 years. There was also no difference using a 3.86% glucose exchange, when the results at the beginning and after 1 year were compared. However, alterations in equilibration ratios were significant after 24 and 36 months of treatment for creatinine (36 months versus 0: p less than 0.005), glucose absorption (36 months versus 0: p less than 0.01) and UF (36 months versus 0: p less than 0.01). No correlation exists between these changes either with the number of peritonitis episodes or with the time of treatment. Though, no single factor could be identified, patients had an increase in peritoneal permeability especially after long-term treatment. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate the reasons for these changes.