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Summary: Lower ambient temperature (Ta) requires greater energy expenditure to sustain body temperature. However, effects of Ta on human energetics may be buffered by environmental modification and behavioral compensation. We used the IAEA DLW database for adults in the USA (n = 3213) to determine the effect of Ta (−10 to +30°C) on TEE, basal (BEE) and activity energy expenditure (AEE) and physical activity level (PAL). There were no significant relationships (p > 0.05) between maximum, minimum and average Ta and TEE, BEE, AEE and PAL. After adjustment for fat-free mass, fat mass and age, statistically significant (p

Abstract Background The restrictions associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to young children’s daily routines and habits. The impact on their participation in movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary screen time and sleep) is unknown. This international longitudinal study compared young children’s movement behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Parents of children aged 3–5 years, from 14 countries (8 low- and middle-income countries, LMICs) completed surveys to assess changes in movement behaviours and how these changes were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were completed in the 12 months up to March 2020 and again between May and June 2020 (at the height of restrictions). Physical activity (PA), sedentary screen time (SST) and sleep were assessed via parent survey. At Time 2, COVID-19 factors including level of restriction, environmental conditions, and parental stress were measured. Compliance with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Global guidelines for PA (180 min/day [≥60 min moderate- vigorous PA]), SST (≤1 h/day) and sleep (10-13 h/day) for children under 5 years of age, was determined. Results Nine hundred- forty-eight parents completed the survey at both time points. Children from LMICs were more likely to meet the PA (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AdjOR] = 2.0, 95%Confidence Interval [CI] 1.0,3.8) and SST (AdjOR = 2.2, 95%CI 1.2,3.9) guidelines than their high-income country (HIC) counterparts. Children who could go outside during COVID-19 were more likely to meet all WHO Global guidelines (AdjOR = 3.3, 95%CI 1.1,9.8) than those who were not. Children of parents with higher compared to lower stress were less likely to meet all three guidelines (AdjOR = 0.5, 95%CI 0.3,0.9). Conclusion PA and SST levels of children from LMICs have been less impacted by COVID-19 than in HICs. Ensuring children can access an outdoor space, and supporting parents’ mental health are important prerequisites for enabling pre-schoolers to practice healthy movement behaviours and meet the Global guidelines.

Background: Anemia is commonly observed in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) as soon as the glomerular filtration rate falls below than 30 ml/min. CKD patients frequently have iron deficiency. The use of both erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) and iron therapy is the backbone of anemia management in CKD. For this reason, an adequate iron supply is mandatory to achieve the optimal therapeutic benefit of erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs). Many groups agree that anemia in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is less severe than in hemodialysis (HD) patients and that there are important differences in treatment practices for anemia between PD and HD patients. Methods: Analysis of the Anemia module of the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry (RDPLF) register from the database set up in 2005 with a study of the period 2010-2017. Results: Data from 568 patients who participated in the Anemia module were analysed during the 2010-2017 follow-up period. Their median age were 71 years, 42% were female, median dialysis vintage was 13 months, 40,5% of patients had diabetes mellitus, 74% of patients were treated with ESA, 23% were on oral iron and only 11% have received intravenous iron. In terms of biological assessment, the average hemoglobin level was close to 12 g/dl and median CRP was close to 5 mg/l. For the iron balance, ferritin reached an average level of 270 µg/l in 2013 and stabilized in 2017 at 200 µg/l. The transferrin saturation coefficient always fluctuated between 23 % and 25 % from year 2010 to year 2017. Conclusion: The results of the Anemia module of RDPLF register appear to be in line with the target values of the ERA-EDTA latest European guideline on anemia (ERBP 2013) and show the low use of intravenous iron in PD (usually as second line therapy).

BACKGROUND: An oxidative stress has been reported in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) treated by haemodialysis. To our knowledge, only scant information is available concerning CRF patients treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) with regard to their redox and nutritional status. METHODS: The oxidative stress and the biological nutritional status were evaluated in 20 elderly CRF patients treated by CAPD, compared with a control group of 30 elderly non-CRF patients. Plasma peroxidation products were assayed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and two enzymatic antioxidant systems were determined: erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma (P-GSH-Px) and in erythrocytes (E-GSH-Px). Selenium, vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamin A were evaluated as plasma non-enzymatic antioxidants. Nutritional status and iron status were assessed by determining serum albumin, prealbumin, iron, ferritin and transferrin concentrations. RESULTS: Plasma TBARS concentration was high in both groups (CAPD: 1.37 +/- 0.06 mumol/l versus non-CRF: 1.41 +/- 0.06 mumol/l; P = NS), compared with usual values (0.60 to 1.20 mumol/l), on account of the patients' ages. SOD and E-GSH-Px activities were normal in both groups. A significant lowering in P-GSH-Px activity was observed only in CAPD patients (211 +/- 14 U/l, usual values: 480 to 650 U/l). Plasma selenium concentration, decreased in both groups, was significantly lower in CAPD than in non-CRF patients (P < 0.01). Plasma vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamin A concentrations were significantly enhanced only in CAPD patients (P < 0.0001, P < 0.005 and P < 0.0001, respectively. Biological nutritional markers were similar in both groups and within usual values. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the existence of an oxidative stress in CAPD-treated elderly CRF patients, evidenced by a decrease in plasma selenium levels and in P-GSH-Px activity. However, plasma TBARS were not higher in CAPD patients than in age-matched non-CRF control subjects, probably on account on the patients' ages. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The achievement of euvolemia is essential to the successful management of peritoneal dialysis patients. However, the concern that hypertonic glucose exchanges may have a role in long-term changes to the peritoneal membrane has lead to an alternative strategy to enhance ultrafiltration (UF) over the long dwell by combining crystalloid and colloid osmosis. This review summarizes the experience of mixing glucose or amino acids with polyglucose (icodextrin), with particular focus given to data from studies using glucose/icodextrin in combinations of 1.36%/7.5% and 2.61%/6.8%. Both combinations demonstrate a significant increment of UF volume and sodium removal compared with the component osmotic agents used individually over long dwells, with the 2.61%/6.8% mixture having an effect over dwells extending to 15 h. Hypothetically, the mechanism of the enhanced UF is the attenuation by the colloid osmotic force of the backflow of water through small pores from dialysate to the peritoneal capillary circulation once the crystalloid osmotic force has dissipated. This experience provides promising data that deserves further examination in longer term clinical studies.Kidney International (2008) 73, S102–S111; doi:10.1038/sj.ki.5002610 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health crisis induced by the pandemic of coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) has had a major impact on dialysis patients in France. The incidence of infection with acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic was 3.3% among dialysis patients-13 times higher than in the general population. The corresponding mortality rate was high, reaching 21%. As of 19th April, 2021, the cumulative prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in French dialysis patients was 14%. Convergent scientific data from France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada show that home dialysis reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by a factor of at least two. Unfortunately, home dialysis in France is not sufficiently developed: the proportion of dialysis patients being treated at home is only 7%. The obstacles to the provision of home care for patients with end-stage kidney disease in France include (i) an unfavourable pricing policy for home haemodialysis and nurse visits for assisted peritoneal dialysis (PD), (ii) insufficient training in home dialysis for nephrologists, (iii) the small number of administrative authorizations for home dialysis programs, and (iv) a lack of structured, objective information on renal replacement therapies for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). We propose a number of pragmatic initiatives that could be simultaneously enacted to improve the situation in three areas: (i) the provision of objective information on renal replacement therapies for patients with advanced CKD, (ii) wider authorization of home dialysis networks and (iii) price increases in favour of home dialysis procedures., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common genetic disorder associated with progressive enlargement of the kidneys and liver. ADPKD patients may require renal volume reduction, especially before renal transplantation. The standard treatment is unilateral nephrectomy. However, surgery incurs a risk of blood transfusion and alloimmunization. Furthermore, when patients are treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), surgery is associated with an increased risk of temporary or definitive switch to haemodialysis (HD). Unilateral renal arterial embolization can be used as an alternative approach to nephrectomy., Methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective study to compare the technique of survival of PD after transcatheter renal artery embolization with that of nephrectomy in an ADPKD population. We included ADPKD patients treated with PD submitted to renal volume reduction by either surgery or arterial embolization. Secondary objectives were to compare the frequency and duration of a temporary switch to HD in both groups and the impact of the procedure on PD adequacy parameters., Results: More than 700 patient files from 12 centres were screened. Only 37 patients met the inclusion criteria (i.e. treated with PD at the time of renal volume reduction) and were included in the study (21 embolized and 16 nephrectomized). Permanent switch to HD was observed in 6 embolized patients (28.6%) versus 11 nephrectomized patients (68.8%) (P = 0.0001). Renal artery embolization was associated with better technique survival: subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) 0.29 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12-0.75; P = 0.01]. By multivariate analysis, renal volume reduction by embolization and male gender were associated with a decreased risk of switching to HD. After embolization, a decrease in PD adequacy parameters was observed but no embolized patients required temporary HD; the duration of hospitalization was significantly lower [5 days [interquartile range (IQR) 4.0-6.0] in the embolization group versus 8.5 days (IQR 6.0-11.0) in the surgery group., Conclusions: Transcatheter renal artery embolization yields better technique survival of PD in ADPKD patients requiring renal volume reduction., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.)

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of diseases including steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and end-stage liver failure. Hepatic iron accumulation has been linked to hepatic fibrosis severity in NASH and NAFLD. Iron overload induced by parenteral (IV) iron therapy is a potential clinical problem in dialysis patients. We analyzed the hypothetical triggering and aggravating role of iron on NAFLD in patients on dialysis., Methods: Liver iron concentration (LIC) and hepatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF) were analyzed prospectively in 68 dialysis patients by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Follow up of LIC and PDFF was performed in 17 dialysis patients during iron therapy., Findings: PDFF differed significantly among dialysis patients classified according to LIC: patients with moderate or severe iron overload had increased fat fraction (PDFF: 7.9% (0.5-14.8%)) when compared to those with normal LIC (PDFF: 5% (0.27-11%)) or mild iron overload (PDFF: 5% (0.30-11.6%); P = 0.0049). PDFF correlated with LIC, and ferritin and body mass index. In seven patients monitored during IV iron therapy, LIC and PDFF increased concomitantly (PDFF: initial 2.5%, final 8%, P = 0.0156; LIC: initial 20 μmol/g, final 160 μmol/g: P = 0.0156), whereas in ten patients with iron overload, PDFF decreased after IV iron withdrawal or major dose reduction (initial: 8%, final: 4%; P = 0.0098) in parallel with LIC (initial: 195 μmol/g, final: 45 μmol/g; P = 0.002)., Interpretation: Liver iron load influences hepatic fat fraction in dialysis patients. Iron overload induced by iron therapy may aggravate or trigger NAFLD in dialysis patients., Trial Registration Number (isrctn): 80100088., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is well known that the efficiency of peritoneal dialysis (PD) varies with the duration of the dwell and with the prescribed fill volume. Automated PD (APD) is classically given as a series of recurrent exchanges, each having the same dwell time and fill volume-that is, conventional APD (APD-C). We propose a new way of giving PD, using a modified version of APD-C. This method first uses a short dwell time with a small fill volume to promote ultrafiltration (UF) and subsequently uses a longer dwell time and a larger fill volume to promote removal of uremic toxins from the blood. We use the term "adapted APD" (APD-A) to describe this modified form of PD., Methods: We designed a multicenter prospective randomized crossover trial to assess the impact of APD-A in comparison with APD-C on the efficacy of dialysis. The parameters investigated were overnight UF; weekly peritoneal Kt/V(urea); weekly peritoneal creatinine clearance corrected to 1.73 m(2) body surface area (K(creat)); and phosphate (PDR) and sodium dialytic removal (SDR) in millimoles per session, corrected for glucose absorption, which provides an estimate of metabolic cost. Blood pressure was also regularly monitored. Initially, 25 patients were identified for inclusion in the study. There were 6 withdrawals in total: 2 at enrolment, 1 at day 75 (transplantation), 2 at day 30 (catheter dysfunction), and 1 for drainage alarms. All patients received the same duration of overnight APD, using the same total volume of dialysate, with the same 1.5% glucose, lactate-buffered dialysate (Balance: Fresenius Medical Care, Bad Homburg, Germany)., Results: Tolerance was good. Compared with APD-C, APD-A resulted in a significant enhancement of Kt/V(urea), K(creat), and PDR. The metabolic cost, in terms of glucose absorption, required to achieve dialytic capacity for urea, creatinine, and phosphate blood purification was significantly lower for APD-A than for APD-C, and UF increased during APD-A. With APD-A, each gram of glucose absorbed contributed to 18.25 ± 15.82 mL UF; in APD-C, each gram of glucose absorbed contributed to 15.79 ± 11.24 mL UF. However, that difference was not found to be significant (p=0.1218). The SDR was significantly higher with APD-A than with APD-C: 35.23 ± 52.00 mmol and 18.35 ± 48.68 mmol per session respectively (p<0.01). The mean blood pressure recorded at the end of each PD period (on day 45) was significantly lower when patients received APD-A than when they received APD-C., Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that, compared with the uniform dwell times and fill volumes used throughout an APD-C dialysis session, the varying dwell times and fill volumes as described for an APD-A dialysis session result in improved dialysis efficiency in terms of UF, Kt/V(urea), K(creat), PDR, and SDR. Those results were achieved without incurring any extra financial costs and with a reduction in the metabolic cost (assessed using glucose absorption)., (Copyright © 2011 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis)

Background and Objectives: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are recovered with increasing frequency among patients with chronic renal failure, making VRE a major concern in nephrology departments, especially for patients who are treated by hemodialysis. We report herein the successful aggressive management of a VRE outbreak in a nephrology department., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: An Enterococcus faecium vanB strain was isolated from a peritoneal dialysis solution from an inpatient. Immediately, infection control measures were enforced and active screening was performed for all contact patients. Carriers were isolated, and patients were divided into three cohorts: Positive, contact, and noncontact patients. We then performed a case-control study to understand risk factors for VRE carriage comparing VRE carriers with contact patients who were negative for VRE., Results: A total of 14 VRE-positive and 125 VRE-negative contact patients were identified. VRE-positive patients were more likely to receive hemodialysis and have longer hospital stays in nephrology. VRE-positive patients more often had a central venous catheter for a longer period of time and received more antibiotics than VRE-negative patients. Treatment with large-spectrum beta-lactams and number of days in the nephrology ward were significantly associated with a higher risk for VRE carriage by using multivariate analysis., Conclusions: These findings suggest that case mix, longer hospital stays, and antibiotic use are major risk factors for VRE acquisition. In addition, it demonstrates that strict enforcement of isolation precautions and cohorting associated with active screening are successful to curb the transmission of VRE in renal units despite continuous colonization pressure.

Background: Evidence is accumulating that the continuous exposure to high glucose concentrations during peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an important cause of ultrafiltration (UF) failure. The cornerstone of prevention and treatment of UF failure is reduction of glucose exposure, which will also alleviate the systemic impact of significant free glucose absorption. The challenge for the future is to discover new therapeutic strategies to enhance fluid and sodium removal while diminishing glucose load and exposure using combinations of available osmotic agents., Objectives: To investigate in patients on automated PD (APD) with a fast transport pattern whether there is a glucose-sparing advantage to replacing 7.5% icodextrin (ICO) during the long dwell with a mixed crystalloid and colloid PD fluid (bimodal UF) in an attempt to promote daytime UF and sodium removal while diminishing the glucose strength of the dialysate at night., Design: A 2 parallel arm, 4 month, prospective nonrandomized study., Setting: PD units or university hospitals in 4 French and Belgian districts., Results: During the 4-month intervention period, net UF and peritoneal sodium removal during the long dwell when treated by bimodal UF was about 2-fold higher than baseline (with ICO). The estimated percent change (95% confidence interval) from baseline in net daytime UF for the bimodal solution was 150% (106% - 193%), versus 18% (-7% - 43%) for ICO (p < 0.001). The estimated percent change from baseline in peritoneal sodium removal for the bimodal solution was 147% (112% - 183%), versus 23% (-2% - 48%) for ICO (p < 0.001). The estimated percent change from baseline in UF efficiency (24-hour net UF divided by the amount of glucose absorbed) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) when using the bimodal solution was 71%, versus -5% for ICO., Conclusion: Prescription of bimodal UF during the day in APD patients offers the opportunity to optimize the long dwell exchange in a complete 24-hour APD cycle. The current study demonstrated that a bimodal solution based on the mixing of glucose (2.6%) and icodextrin (6.8%) achieved the double target of significantly improving UF and peritoneal sodium removal by exploring a new concept of glucose-sparing PD therapy.

Objective: The present study aimed at testing the relationships between health causal attribution and coping mechanisms with quality of life (QOL) in patients who have end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing a peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatment. It was hypothesized that QOL should be negatively associated with the severity of the disease. Problem-focused coping, internal health-related locus of control (HRLOC) and medical power HRLOC were hypothesized as positive moderators preserving a better QOL, after controlling for the severity of the disease., Methods: A total of 47 PD patients completed the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KD-QOL) scale encompassing the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form (MOS SF-36) self-administered questionnaire, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale and the Ways of Coping Check-List (WCCL) scale., Results: Low scores for all QOL scores were found except for pain dimension, as compared with scores available from a general French population. Globally, QOL was not related to the severity of the disease. Univariate analysis showed that the physical component score (PCS) of QOL was positively associated with internal HRLOC (r=.35; P<.05), and negatively with medical power HRLOC (r=-.36; P<.05). Multivariate analysis adjusting for age confirmed these results. Mental component score (MCS) was negatively associated with the use of emotion-focused coping and seeking social support (r=-.45; P=.001 and r=-.30; P<.05, respectively), the first association persisting in multivariate analysis. Neither PCS nor MCS was linked to the use of problem-focused coping., Conclusion: These results suggest that physical QOL is all the more preserved when patients are more convinced that their behaviour can influence their health condition and that psychological QOL is all the more impaired when health condition is perceived as less controllable, requiring emotion-focused coping (avoidance strategies). Health causal attributions and coping act respectively as moderators of physical and psychological components of QOL.

Background: Growing concern over the limited capacity of the peritoneal dialysis (PD) system has revived interest in continuous flow peritoneal dialysis (CFPD), a modality in which continuous circulation of PD fluid is maintained at a high flow rate using two separate catheters or one dual-lumen catheter. The CFPD regimen contrasts the "inflow/outflow" regimen, which requires specific times devoted to filling and draining the peritoneum via a single-lumen catheter. Historical data established CFPD capabilities in providing higher solute clearance and ultrafiltration rate (UFR) using either an open loop system with a single pass of fresh PD fluid, or various external purifications of the spent dialysate., Objective: To compare, in patients with various peritoneal transport patterns, fluid and solute removal achieved during a standardized program of CFPD versus two control schedules: nightly intermittent peritoneal dialysis (NIPD) and nightly tidal peritoneal dialysis (NTPD). This study focused on small solute clearances and UFR using only isotonic PD solution (Dianeal PD1 1.36%; Baxter Healthcare, Castlebar, Ireland). The model of fresh dialysate, single pass, was used to optimize solute gradients and to characterize the impact of a continuous flow regimen on peritoneal transport characteristics., Methods: In a crossover trial, 4-hour CFPD sessions were performed at a fixed dialysate flow rate (100 mL/ minute) in 5 patients being treated with automated PD. A hemofiltration monitor (BM25; Baxter Healthcare, Brussels, Belgium) was adapted to the CFPD technique. The peritoneal cavity was filled through a temporary second catheter and simultaneously drained using the permanent peritoneal access. Fluid and solute removal were compared to data obtained from a control period based on 8-hour sessions of NIPD or NTPD using 13 L of isotonic dialysate., Results: High-flow CFPD enhanced the diffusive transport coefficient compared with the alternative flow regimen in patients ranging from low to high transporters. Weekly creatinine clearance increased from 36.9 L (22.3 - 49.6 L) and 37.3 L (27.5 - 45.0 L) with NIPD and NTPD respectively, to 74.9 L (42.3 - 107.5 L) with CFPD. Mean UFR was 2.44 mL/min with CFPD versus 0.92 and 0.89 mL/min with NIPD and NTPD respectively. The mass transfer area coefficient (MTAC) of creatinine with CFPD was 2.5-fold that obtained from the peritoneal equilibration test data., Conclusion: Our results confirm that CFPD is highly effective in increasing fluid and solute removal. Furthermore, consistent with historical data, our findings indicate that the enhanced solute transfer is not due only to steeper solute gradients, but also depends on increased MTAC in a wide range of peritoneum transport characteristics.

The prevalence of HIV-positive subjects in dialysis (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis) population varies from 0.13 to 0.36% in italian and french studies, respectively. Most drugs used in HIV therapy are primarily excreted by the kidney. In patients with renal insufficiency, careful dosage adjustment is mandatory to optimize drug exposure and reduce the risk for adverse events. We review the impact of peritoneal dialysis on the pharmacokinetics of antiviral drugs, and discuss on the dosage recommendations needed to achieve efficacy and avoid toxicity in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Unlabelled: We report our experience in 213 elderly patients over 75 years treated by peritoneal dialysis (PD) as first and exclusive dialysis therapy. The mean age at start of PD was 79.4 +/- 3.6 years, and the cumulative time on PD was 4551 months (mean time: 21.4 +/- 19.8 months). Twenty-six patients lived in institutions and 187 lived at home. Thirty patients had an effective autonomy with the ability to carry on normal activities. One hundred and two patients were cared for by a private nurse at home, and 46 patients were cared for in a family environment. Most cases were treated by three exchanges per day (152 cases) and used a nondisconnect system (175 cases) on account of absence of autonomy. The rate of peritonitis per patient-month was one episode per 16.8 patient-months. Patient survival (Kaplan-Meier curves) was 74%, 59%, 45%, and 19% at one, two, three, and five years, respectively. The causes of death were various with a higher frequency of cardiovascular causes (48.3% of the 116 deaths). Thirty-three patients died in less than six months including 18 patients in less than three months., In Conclusion: elderly uremic patients can be treated with long-term PD with relatively good results. Mortality is high but essentially due to age and poor general status-the dedication of private home nursing is very important in treating elderly PD patients. This fact often is a necessary condition in maintaining these elderly patients at home.

This paper summarizes the basis of prescription for automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) established during a French national conference on APD. Clinical results and literature data show that peritoneal clearances are closely determined by peritoneal permeability and hourly dialysate flow rate, independently of dwell time or number of cycles. With APD, peritoneal creatinine clearance increases according to the hourly dialysate flow rate to a maximum (plateau), then decreases because of the multiplication of the drain-fill times. The hourly dialysate flow giving the maximum peritoneal creatinine clearance is defined as the "maximal effective dialysate flow" (MEDF). MEDF is higher for high peritoneal permeabilities: MEDF is 1.8 and 4.2 L/hr with nocturnal tidal peritoneal dialysis (TPD) for a 4-hr creatinine dialysate-to-plasma ratio (D/P) of 0.50 and 0.80, respectively. With nightly intermittent peritoneal dialysis (NIPD), MEDF is 1.6 and 2.3 L/hr for a D/P of 0.50 and 0.78, respectively. Under these conditions, tidal modalities can only be considered as a way to increase the MEDF. Using the MEDF concept for an identical APD session duration, the maximal weekly normalized peritoneal creatinine clearance can vary by 340% when 4-hr D/P varies from 0.41 to 0.78. APD is not recommended when 4-hr creatinine D/P is lower than 0.50. However, the limits of this technique may be reached at higher peritoneal permeabilities in anurics because of the duration of sessions and/or the additional exchanges required by these patients.

Over a 14 year period, 56 of 415 CAPD patients (34 male, 22 female), aged 42.7 +/- 11 years, underwent renal transplantation (TR). A cadaver kidney was used in 53 patients (kidney-pancreas in 2), and a human leucocyte antibody (HLA) identical related donor organ was used in 3. Underlying renal diseases were chronic glomerulonephritis in 30 patients, diabetic nephropathy in 10, interstitial nephropathy in 5, vascular in 4, polycystic kidney in 3, and undetermined in 4. Mean duration of CAPD prior to TR was 13 months (2-56 months). A three-week peritonitis episode-free interval was requested prior to TR. At year 1, actuarial patient and graft survival (96% and 86%, respectively), plasma creatinine, and number of rejection episodes were not different from those recorded in patients treated with hemodialysis (HD) prior to TR. At TR, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) was elevated (average 21.1 +/- 7.4 mm Hg), > or = 25 mm Hg and > or = 30 mm Hg in 36% and 14.6% of CAPD patients, respectively. Post-TR, HD was performed in 4 patients; no peritoneal infection occurred. Postoperative sonography disclosed ascitis in 12.7% of CAPD patients. The PD catheter was removed two months post-TR. Hemodynamic findings at TR suggest a frequently underestimated overhydration in CAPD patients, which should be detected and treated in order to reduce acute cardiovascular complications at TR.

In a prospective randomized open multicenter study, 107 anemic (Hct < = 28%) peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients were treated with s.c. rhEPO daily. The mean observation period was 299 days (range 14-479 days). Patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups with different initial doses: 5 U/kg (G5), 10 U/kg (G10), 20 U/kg (G20). Initial doses were maintained for at least 8 weeks unless the target Hct (30-35%) was achieved earlier. The weekly increase of Hct was significantly (p < 0.05) dose-dependent: 0.19% in G5, 0.5% in G10 and 0.94% in G20. In case of insufficient response (< 0.5% per week), the dose was doubled every 4 weeks. Final doses on achieving the target Hct ranged from 5 to 40 U/kg (median 20 U/kg). The dose was then reduced to 50% and adjusted individually. The median maintenance dose was 9.9 U/kg/day. No tendency towards higher blood pressure or intensification of antihypertensive treatment was observed. When rhEPO is administered daily, 10 U/kg/day (70 U/kg weekly) is the recommended starting dose. The need for higher doses used in unsatisfactory response, should lead to further examination to rule out iron deficiency and other reasons for non-response. The median maintenance dose reported here is the lowest published in the literature for PD patients and seems to be linked to the daily injections.

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has been identified as an independent, inherited risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease. An elevation of Lp(a) plasma levels has been documented in several series of uremic patients submitted to maintenance dialysis treatment methods or after renal transplantation. We have measured the plasma levels of Lp(a) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent enzyme method in 19 patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Mean (+/- SD) concentration of Lp(a) was significantly higher in the patients than in the 19 healthy controls (51 +/- 48 mg/dL v 16 +/- 15 mg/dL, P < 0.005). No significant differences in Lp(a) levels were found between diabetic patients (n = 5) and nondiabetic patients (n = 14) or between patients who had (n = 6) or had not (n = 13) suffered a previous major cardiovascular complication. No correlation was evident between Lp(a) levels and the patients' ages, period of time on CAPD treatment, or any other lipid-lipoprotein investigated parameter. The mechanisms accounting for the elevation of Lp(a) levels in CAPD patients as well as the specific value of increased Lp(a) concentration as a cardiovascular risk predictor in uremic patients remain thus far speculative. Additional experimental and clinical studies are warranted before the administration of drugs to attempt to lower Lp(a) levels in CAPD patients can be recommended.

A total of 127 patients from 8 hospitals were randomized into 1 of 2 exit-site care regimes to evaluate their effect on rate of exit-site infection (ESI). Group 1 used povidone iodine and nonocclusive dressings changed 2 to 3 times weekly; Group 2 simply cleansed the exit site with nondisinfectant soap and water. Incidence, cause, duration, and treatment of ESI and peritonitis (P) were noted. Groups were analysed for age, sex, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), catheter, and systems. Total cumulative follow up time was 95.6 years. There was a significantly higher rate (p = 0.0183) of ESI in Group 2 (soap and water). The mean rate of ESI was 0.27 episodes/patient year for Group 1 versus 0.71 episodes/patient year for Group 2. Rates of P for the two groups were not significantly different (p greater than 0.50): 0.446 episodes/year for Group 1 versus 0.574 episodes/year for Group 2. S. aureus was responsible for 83% of ESI in Group 1 and 67% of ESI in Group 2. Protective dressing with a disinfectant is associated with significantly less ESI than minimum care. However, further research in exit-site care aimed specifically at reducing S. aureus infection is still required.

From January 1973 to March 1983, 108 IDD patients with a mean age of 46 years were accepted to the dialysis program of the Hôpital de la Pitié. Since January 1973, 67 patients have been treated by hemodialysis. Since August 1978, 38 patients have been treated by CAPD. Three patients have been treated by intermittent peritoneal dialysis. Although diabetic patients remain at a higher risk compared to patients of the same age group, very encouraging results are observed including a 75% survival rate at three years among hemodialyzed patients less than 50 years old. Since 1978, CAPD, when home dialysis was possible, was selected as a first choice treatment. Some severe peritoneal complications still jeopardize the advantages of this method. Diabetics with ESRD, even in the older age group, should not be excluded from treatment. They should be offered within an integrated program all dialysis methods and transplantation.

The treatment of end-stage renal diabetic nephropathy remains a challenge. A large experience allows us to clearly outline the advantages and the drawbacks of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis (CCPD). Eighty-one patients, mean age 51.3 years, were treated over the last 9 years by CAPD-CCPD. Extrarenal complications, mainly vascular lesions, were present in this high-risk group of patients. The technique was modified in order to inject intraperitoneally, 4 times per day, insulin to control blood glucose level in CAPD patients. Actuarial survival was 92% at 1 year, 50% at 4 years mainly influenced by age: 85% survival at 2 years in 35 patients aged less than 50 years old and 62% at 2 years in 46 patients aged more than 50 years old. The main causes of death were of cardiovascular origin: myocardial infarction, stroke, atherosclerotic vasculopathy. The main causes of transfer to hemodialysis were due to technical complications. Peritonitis rate was one episode every 14 patient-months. Control of blood pressure, blood glucose levels, main biological parameters, and visual status were the clear advantages of the method. Peripheral vascular disease is not influenced by the technique. CAPD-CCPD is the technique of first choice in young diabetics and the preferential technique for home dialysis.

Recovery of renal function was observed in 10 out of 300 patients (3.3%) treated by CAPD. These 10 patients presented the following primary renal diseases: 4 nephroangiosclerosis, 4 interstitial nephropathies, 1 diabetic nephropathy, 1 unknown nephropathy, and were treated by CAPD for a mean period of 10.2 +/- 5.5 months. CAPD was discontinued when residual renal function reached 12 ml/min. After recovery 8 patients were still alive, including 1 patient who returned to dialysis. 2 patients died. When risk factors such as uncontrolled hypertension, cardiac failure, severe nephrotic syndrome, rapidly progressive renal failure, analgesics or non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatments or abuses, chronic urinary obstruction, cholesterol emboli were associated with end stage renal failure, CAPD should be the dialysis treatment of choice, expecting the preservation of the kidney capacities and further a recovery of renal function.

A study has been carried out to compare over an 18 month period the residual glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measured by the creatinine clearance in two matched groups of 25 patients with end-stage renal disease. One group was treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, the other one by maintenance haemodialysis. GFR was similar in both groups immediately before starting dialysis therapy, respectively 4.3 +/- 2.3 and 4.4 +/- 2.4 ml/min. From the beginning of the dialysis treatment to the eighteenth month there was a significant and progressive decrease of GFR in the group of patients treated by haemodialysis, while in the peritoneal dialysis group GFR and peritoneal clearances remained stable.