CHARACTERISTICS AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS ON PERITONEAL DIALYSIS FOR OVER 15 YEARS: A SINGLE-CENTER EXPERIENCE

Background: Maintaining peritoneal dialysis (PD) for a long time is problematic owing to a number of factors. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics and examine the clinical outcomes of patients who received PD as a long-term dialysis modality. Methods: All end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients who initiated PD at Yonsei University Health System between 1987 and 2000 were screened. Patients who maintained PD for over 15 years were classified as the long-term PD group and those who were treated with PD for less than 5 years were included in the short-term PD group. Demographic and biochemical data and clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Independent factors associated with long-term PD maintenance were ascertained using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 1,116 study patients, 87 (7.8%) were included in the long-term group and 293 (26.3%) were included in the short-term group. In the long-term group, the mean patient age at PD initiation was 39.6 +/- 11.5 years, 35 patients (40.2%) were male, and the mean PD duration was 205.3 +/- 32.7 months. Patients were younger, body weight was lower, the proportion of patients with diabetes or cardiovascular diseases was lower, and the proportion of low to low-average transporters was higher in the long-term group than in the short-term group (p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, body mass index (BMI), serum creatinine, type of PD solution, and diabetes were significant independent factors associated with long-term PD maintenance. Conclusion: Peritoneal dialysis can be considered as a long-term renal replacement therapy option, especially in non-diabetic, not overweight, and young ESRD patients.