Long-term CAPD--some U.K. experience.

As many UK renal units commence more patients on CAPD than hemodialysis (HD) as the first mode of therapy a retrospective study of long-term CAPD (greater than 4 years continuous CAPD) was performed in 4 centers with substantial CAPD programs. One hundred and seventy-seven patients (103M, 74F) started CAPD before December, 1981. There was no difference in primary renal disease. Age was significantly greater in 2 units (51.9 +/- 11.7 and 53.2 +/- 12.1 vs 40.6 +/- 16.2 and 42.5 +/- 14.6 years, p less than 0.05) and correlates with pre-CAPD activity scores (Scale 3-0). After 4 years: 34 patients (19.2%) remained on CAPD: the proportion was similar in all centers. Sixty-five percent of patients were alive but 54% transferred to HD mainly due to peritonitis (overall 2.0 episodes/intercenter variation p less than 0.001). Fourty-four patients were transplanted. Significant increases occurred in hemoglobin, albumin, calcium and creatinine; a decrease in activity score (2.4 +/- 0.7 to 1.5 +/- 0.9, p less than 0.005); no change in weight, BP, urea or bone disease. Thirty-eight patients died, mainly cardiac (14) or sepsis (11). Using Cox's method of analysis significant risk multipliers were age (2.07 per decade), male sex (2.18), frequency of peritonitis (1.36), activity score less than 2 (4.45) and amyloidosis (12.45). Despite differing techniques in different centers CAPD offered a satisfactory mode of therapy for many patients; peritonitis was the main reason for transfer to HD and several significant factors were identified.