Patient and technique survival for blind and sighted diabetics on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: a ten-year analysis.

A retrospective analysis of patient and technique survival over 10 years in a group of 66 diabetics (40 being blind) and 71 non-diabetics was undertaken. Patient survival profiles showed that the blind diabetics lived longer than the sighted, but for a shorter time than the nondiabetics. In technique success, the sighted diabetics out did the blind and the non-diabetics, long term. Short term, the blind performed better than sighted diabetics. The key to success and longer survival on CAPD depended on motivation on the part of the patient, patient's acceptance of given disability, family (social) support, and willingness on the part of renal care personnel to train the disabled diabetic to perform CAPD. With adequate education and support, blind diabetics did CAPD as well as sighted patients. There was no increased frequency of peritonitis in blind diabetics compared to sighted diabetics. Both blind diabetics and non-diabetics had fewer episodes than sighted diabetics. Intraperitoneal route of insulin administration achieved good glycemic control in diabetic population. Refractory congestive cardiac failure and/or fatal arrhythmias was the most common cardiac cause of death in diabetics on CAPD.