Comparison of continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in children.

The clinical courses in 10 pediatric patients undergoing CAPD for 15.0 +/- 2.8 months and subsequently CCPD for 9.3 +/- 3.2 months were evaluated. During CAPD patients received four or five daily exchanges, and during CCPD five 2-hour nocturnal cycles over 10 hours plus a diurnal dwell. The only significant biochemical difference during CAPD compared with CCPD was the serum creatinine concentration (9.7 +/- 1.0 mg/dl vs 10.8 +/- 0.9 mg/dl, P less than 0.01). The peritonitis rate was one episode every 10.7 patient months during CAPD, compared with one episode every 8.5 patient months during CCPD. There were 21 episodes of exit site infection during CAPD versus 17 during CCPD. Mechanical complications included five ventral hernias in three patients and six peritoneal leaks in three patients during CAPD; two patients had two hernias and two patients had two peritoneal leaks during CCPD. Our results indicate adequate control of the biochemical abnormalities of uremia with CCPD, with the exception of the serum creatinine concentration.