An Initial Experience of Continuous Peritoneal Dialysis in Children in the Armed Forces.

BACKGROUND: Continuous peritoneal dialysis (CPD) is a modality of renal replacement therapy in children with renal failure. A retrospective study analysis of CPD data over four years at our center was carried out.

METHODS: Ten children with renal failure on CPD were included. Depending on the supply, peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluids of two different brands were used in the same patients over time. The patient months of CPD were divided into two groups based on the brand of PD fluid used. The rates of complications with the two different fluid brands were compared.

RESULTS: The mean age of our patients was 8.8 ± 2.51 years (range 4 - 13), with a total of 141 patient months of CPD. The mean follow up period was 13.6 months (range 1- 48). The commonest underlying renal pathology was focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 30%, followed by cresentric glomerulonephritis in 20%. Peritonitis rate was 0.48 episodes per patient year. Patients in Group I had one episode of peritonitis per 53.5 patient months and Group II had one episode per 7.25 patient months (p= 0.021, relative risk of 7.3). Patients in Group I had one episode of hypertensive encephalopathy per 107 patient months and Group II had one episode per 4.8 patient months (p= 0.001, relative risk of 21.9). On analyzing the outcome, four patients were eventually transplanted, three continued on CPD awaiting a renal transplant, two died and one recovered spontaneously.

CONCLUSION: CPD is an effective bridge to renal transplant in children with end stage renal disease. The risk of developing peritonitis and hypertensive encephalopathy varied with the brand of fluid used over time in the same set of patients.