Hemodialysis vs. peritoneal dialysis: results of a 3-year prospective controlled study.

A prospective comparison of peritoneal dialysis to hemodialysis was undertaken to identify advantages and disadvantages of either treatment relative to the other. Hematologic, biochemical, lipid, and neurobehavioral parameters were followed. Careful controls were imposed to assure that the treatment groups were comparable. Patients on peritoneal dialysis proved to have more normal concentrations of BUN, hemoglobin, potassium, bicarbonate, and high-density lipoproteins. Hemodialysis patients had more normal concentrations of albumin, total protein, and calcium. Hypertriglyceridemia was only minimally greater in peritoneal patients. Neurobehavioral results documented multiple abnormalities in both. The profile of results obtained provides preliminary criteria for selecting either form of dialysis for a particular patient.