Comparison of therapeutic efficacy of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis between diabetic and non-diabetic patients: three years of experience.

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in diabetic uremic patients and compare it with that of non-diabetics, this study presents the results obtained from CAPD usage in a 3-year period. From December 1984 through December 1987, 12 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients (3 men and 9 women aged 65.5 +/- 3.4 years and with a treatment duration of 12.8 +/- 2.7 months, M +/- SE) and 11 non-diabetics (6 men and 5 women aged 45.0 +/- 5.3 years and with a treatment duration of 9.8 +/- 1.9 months) received CAPD treatment. In most of the patients, diabetes was complicated by significant cardiovascular diseases. None of them exchanged the CAPD bag by themselves. After CAPD treatment, subjective improvements were noted in both groups of patients but were more marked in the non-diabetic group. The BUN and creatinine levels were kept in an acceptable range except that higher creatinine levels were noted in the non-diabetic patients. Serum cholesterol levels rose mildly while triglyceride levels rose markedly in the diabetic patients. Albumin levels returned to normal in the non-diabetic group but remained low in the diabetic group. All patients except for one used the traditional subcutaneous route of insulin administration and blood sugar control was poor. The electrolyte profile was improved in both groups. The BP could be controlled but medication was still necessary. After CAPD most of the non-diabetic patients returned to their previous work while the diabetic patients remained dependent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)