Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis- a new dimension in the treatment of end-stage renal disease.

Thirty-five patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) were followed over a 2-yr period. Serum levels of protein metabolites were maintained at stable and satisfactory levels. Blood hemoglobin was higher during CAPD treatment than during hemodialysis. At the end of the follow-up period, 45.7% of the patients were still on CAPD, 25.7% of them had been transferred to another mode of dialysis because of complications, and 28.6% of the patients had died. In half of the latter, death was directly related to CAPD. The high incidence of peritonitis (one infection per 2.4 patient months) is the main drawback and reason for mortality in CAPD. Reduction in the incidence of peritonitis would make CAPD the preferred mode of dialytic therapy.