Therapeutic tools for dyslipidemia in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) are at high cardiovascular (C-V) risk, and dyslipidemia, one of the major traditional C-V risk factors, is a common complication in chronic kidney disease. PD treatment may worsen lipid profile, because it confers a more atherogenic state than hemodialysis. There is evidence that in the general population, lipid-lowering therapy reduces C-V mortality, both in terms of primary and secondary prevention. The association between dyslipidemia and C-V mortality in dialysis patients is not well defined, and hypocholesterolemia, related to malnutrition/inflammation, is a confounding factor. However, despite the unfavorable lipid profile in PD patients and their high C-V mortality rate, until now we have had no conclusive data that the treatment of dyslipidemia in PD patients might contribute to reducing C-V mortality. At the moment, following the ATPIII and K-DOQI recommendations in considering dialysis patients as high C-V risk patients seems a reasonable approach, awaiting new large trials in PD patients. The present therapeutic tools to treat dyslipidemia in PD patients, such as diet, fibrates, omega-3, statins, carnitine, phosphate binders and use of glucose-free dialysis bags, are considered, with attention to high-risk diabetic patients, with the possible use of intraperitoneal insulin. The data indicate a correctable nihilism in treating dyslipidemia in the general population, probably even exacerbated in PD patients. However, it will only be with the correction of all of the C-V risk factors, traditional and uremia-related ones, that in future we shall hope to observe the reduction of C-V death in PD patients.