Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients After Kidney Transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who were treated with long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). The risk of EPS was increased after kidney transplantation. In our study we evaluated risk factors for EPS patients after kidney transplantation who were treated before with PD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our study, between January 2008 and August 2015, 47 PD patients (12 had EPS) who underwent kidney transplantation were analyzed. Age, gender, time of PD treatment, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching, cold ischemia time, kidney function (serum urea, creatinine, etc), comorbidities, immunosuppressive therapy, clinical features, and outcomes of PD patients were retrospectively evaluated in both groups.

RESULTS: Mean age was 42 (range, 25-60) years in EPS patients, versus 43 (range, 22-77) years without EPS (P = .798). Distribution of gender was similar in both groups (P = .154). The C-reactive protein levels (P < .001), number of patients with peritonitis (P = .001), length of time on PD (P < .001), and serum ferritin levels (P = .020) were higher in EPS patients. The immunosuppressive therapy was changed; tamoxifen and steroids were used after diagnosis in EPS patients. HLA matching was higher in the non-EPS group (P = .006). EPS was more often seen in patients who were treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD; 75%; P = .036). EPS was more often detected in cadaveric transplant recipients (83.3%; P = .024). High peritoneal transmittance rate was more identified in EPS (+) patients (P = .001). EPS was more often seen in patients who were treated with icodextrin-based regimens in PD before transplantation (91.7%; P = .037). The length of time on PD and high ferritin levels increased EPS 1.08 and 1.01, respectively (P = .036 and .049, respectively), in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION: The length of time on PD, type of PD, PD regimens with icodextrin, episodes of peritonitis, and peritoneal transmittance in patients with CKD affect the development of EPS after transplantation.