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Patients who began continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) at the Mayo Clinic from 1979 to 1982 were hospitalized during that period 7.8 days per patient year (PPY) for access-related causes, whereas home hemodialysis (HHD) patients were hospitalized 1.6 days PPY. As the incidence of peritonitis decreased, it was found that patients who began CAPD and HHD from 1985 to 1988 were hospitalized during that period for access-related causes for similar amounts of time (1.8 vs. 1.2 days PPY, respectively). For CAPD patients, more than one half of the hospitalization time was for reasons other than peritonitis.

Frogs and tadpoles were captured at 14 sites in and near Minnesota during 1978-79 and nearly all appeared healthy. Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated from 94 of 294 (32%) juvenile and adult frogs and from 66 of 104 (63%) tadpoles. Of the isolates from frogs and tadpoles respectively, 68% and 47% were from the intestine only, 12% and 32% were from the intestine and the other sites, and 20% and 21% were from extraintestinal sites only. Isolations were more frequent from frogs collected in March-June than in August-November. Evidence was not found that disease due to Aeromonas hydrophila was a primary cause of declining Rana pipiens populations in Minnesota.

Fourteen juvenile-onset diabetic patients accepted for renal transplantation and maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis during a 3-year period were compared with a similar group of 43 patients accepted for renal transplantation and maintained on hemodialysis. The 1-year survival in each group was similar (52% on chronic peritoneal dialysis; 55% on hemodialysis), but there was a striking difference in progressive morbidity. Seven patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis were blind in one or both eyes at the onset, and visual acuity improved in two, including one bilaterally blind patient who achieved 20/35 vision bilaterally; none worsened. In the hemodialysis group, 12 patients were totally blind in one or both eyes and 11 additional patients became blind or had severe deterioration in vision; none improved. Neuropathy progressed in only 1 patient on chronic peritoneal dialysis, whereas it worsened in 17 patients on hemodialysis--9 to the extent that they needed braces or canes or were nonambulatory. All patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis were home trained and were dialyzed at night, with seven being able to work full or part time; virtually none of the patients on hemodialysis were able to work. Chronic peritoneal dialysis was relatively free of technical complication, and no significant difficulty was encountered in diabetic control, in the anephric state, or during abdominal surgery. Chronic peritoneal dialysis appears to have less associated morbidity than does hemodialysis in the treatment of chronic renal failure of juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus.