Outcome of young and elderly diabetic patients on ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: the experience of a community hospital in Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinical results of a group of young and elderly diabetic patients on ambulatory peritoneal dialysis at a large comprehensive tertiary care community hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico in relation to rehabilitation characteristics, compliance, complications and survival.

DESIGN

The medical records of all patients with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus trained between June 1985 and June 1992 were reviewed. This group of patients was subdivided according to age, in young (20-50 years) and elderly (50 or over). A comparable number of nondiabetics were selected at random for each of the two age groups.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The patient were studied for age, sex, need of assistance from a partner during dialysis, causes of transfer and hospitalizations, peritonitis, rehabilitation, patients compliance and outcome including mortality.

RESULTS

Young diabetics versus non-diabetics: There were 45 patients in the diabetic group (37.8% females) and 57 in the non-diabetic group (54.4% female) with a total observation time of 52.52 patient-months among the diabetics and 82.17 patient-months in the non-diabetic. Mean age of the diabetic patient was 39.9 +/- 8.8 and 36.7 +/- 8.7 for the non-diabetic. Assistance by a partner during the dialysis procedure was needed by 26.7% of the diabetics and by 3.7% of the non-diabetics (p < 0.01). Of the non-diabetics, 91.2% were classified as compliant versus 75.6% of the diabetics (p < 0.05). Peritonitis was the main cause of hospitalizations and of transfers in both groups. The two years patient survival for the diabetic was 81.7% and 100% for the non-diabetic and the two years technique survival was 32.5% for the diabetic and 43.5% for the non-diabetic. Elderly diabetics versus non-diabetics: There were 76 patients in the diabetic group (36.8% female) and 64 in the nondiabetic (43.8% female). The mean age of the diabetic group was 61.3 +/- 6.2 years and 59.3 +/- 7.3 years for the non-diabetic with a total observation time of 81.86 patients-months for the diabetic and 104.58 patient-months for the non-diabetic. Assistance by a partner during dialysis was needed in 63.5% of the diabetics and 19.45% of the non-diabetics (p < 0.01). No statistical difference was found in the rehabilitation or compliance evaluation. Peritonitis stands out again as the main cause of transfer out of the PD modality and main cause of hospitalization in both groups. The two year patient survival for the diabetic was 51.5% and 73.3% for the non-diabetic, while the two years technique survival was 49% for the diabetic and 52.9% for the non-diabetic.

CONCLUSIONS

A shortened technique survival, problems of compliance, a high peritonitis rate plus dependency on a partner for dialysis are features of the diabetic group. These findings demonstrate that the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus provides for the development of complications and barriers to the PD modality in both the young and the elderly.