A longitudinal change of peritoneal equilibration test results in peritoneal dialysis patients aged 60 years and above: a 4-year observation study in comparison with a younger group.

Background: The number of elderly people with end-stage renal disease has grown in developed countries and medical teams now face the choice of dialysis therapy in elderly patients. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed two peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, of different ages, who were treated at the same unit by the same PD team of doctors and nurses. Our purpose was to study peritoneal membrane changes in elderly and younger PD patients. Methods: 108 patients above 60 years of age or younger at the start of dialysis, were separated into two cohorts. Diabetic patients were excluded. Peritoneal equilibration test (PET) results taken over 4 continuous years were compared between the two groups. Results: No significant differences were seen between the two groups in peritoneal transport (D/P Cr, D/D0 glucose) during the 4-year observation. Total Kt/V and renal creatinine clearance (Ccr) values in the 4-year period were not significantly different between the two groups. Renal Ccr values showed a longitudinal decline in the two groups but the values of total Kt/V revealed a consistency over the 4-year period. Conclusion: Elderly PD patients demonstrated a similar peritoneal permeability to younger PD patients based on a 4-year PET. (Chang Gung Med J 2010;33:327-33)