Patient characteristics and risk factors of early and late death in incident peritoneal dialysis patients

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify key patient characteristics and risk factors for peritoneal dialysis (PD) mortality in terms of different time-point of death occurrence. The incident PD patients from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2013 in our PD center were recruited and followed up until December 31, 2015. Patients who died in the early period (the first 3 months) were older, had higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N/L), serum phosphorus, and uric acid level, and had lower diastolic pressure, hemoglobin, serum albumin, and calcium levels. After adjustment of gender, age, and PD inception, higher N/L level [hazard ratio (HR) 1.115, P = 0.006], higher phosphorus lever (HR 1.391, P < 0.001), lower hemoglobin level (HR 0.596, P < 0.001), and lower serum albumin level (HR 0.382, P = 0.017) were risk factors for early mortality. While, presence of diabetes (HR 1.627, P = 0.001), presence of cardiovascular disease (HR 1.847, P < 0.001) and lower serum albumin level (HR 0.720, P = 0.023) were risk factors for late mortality (over 24 months). In conclusion, patient characteristics and risk factors associated with early and late mortality in incident PD patients were different, which indicated specific management according to patient characteristics at the initiation of PD should be established to improve PD patient survival.

Figure 1. Patient distribution over three follow-up periods.

HD, hemodialysis; PD, peritoneal dialysis.

Figure 2. Survival curves of all-cause, cardiovascular, and infectious death.

Cumulative mortality curves for (A) all-cause mortality, (B) cardiovascular mortality, and (C) infectious mortality.

Figure 3. Primary cause of end-stage renal disease for patients who died during different follow-up periods of PD treatment.

Figure 4. Causes of death for patients who died during different follow-up periods of PD treatment.