Automated Remote Monitoring for Peritoneal Dialysis and Its Impact on Blood Pressure.

Introduction: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) provides a safe, home-based continuous renal replacement therapy for patients. The adherence of the patients to the prescribed dialysis fluids cannot always be monitored by physicians. Remote monitoring automated peritoneal dialysis (RM-APD) can affect patients' compliance with treatment and, thus, clinical outcomes.
Objective: We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with a remote access program.
Methods: This was an observational study. We analyzed the effect of RM-APD on treatment adherence, dialysis adequacy, and change in blood pressure control, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life during the 6 months of follow-up.
Results: A total of 15 patients were enrolled in this study. It was found that there was a significant decrease (99 ± 19 vs. 89 ± 11 mm Hg) in mean arterial blood pressure of patients, and a considerable increase in Kt/V was observed in the sixth month after the RM-APD switch (2.11 ± 0.4 vs. 2.25 ± 0.5). A significant increase was found when comparing the 3-month and 6-month ultrafiltration amounts before RM-APD and the ultrafiltration amount within 6 months after RM-APD (800 mL [500-1,000] and 752 mL [490-986] vs. 824 mL [537-1,183]). The daily antihypertensive pill need (4 [0-7] vs. 2 [0-6]) and alarms received from the device decreased (from 4 [3-8] to 2 [0-3]) at the sixth month of the switch. There was no significant change in sleep quality and health-related quality of life within 6 months.
Conclusion: This study showed that treatment adherence and ultrafiltration amounts of patients increased with the use of RM-APD, as well as better blood pressure control with fewer antihypertensive drugs.
(© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)