[Factors predicting survival in patients on peritoneal dialysis]

Abstract

Objective: To determine the factors associated with survival in a cohort of 74 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD).

Setting: The study was carried out at a general hospital of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social.

Design: Analysis of a retrolective cohort under a nested case control design.

Patients and methods: The variables studied included age, gender, cause of ESRD (diabetic or non-diabetic), socioeconomic status, modality of CPD (intermittent vs continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis), catheters per patient, rate of peritonitis, levels of serum creatinine and albumin at the beginning of the CPD.

Results: During a 75.1 years-patient follow up, there were 41 deaths (cases). The main cause of death was peritonitis. The cumulated survival of the 74 patients was 64%, 29% and 13% at 12, 24 and 33 months, respectively. Intermittent peritoneal dialysis, the rate of peritonitis and the level of basal serum albumin were associated with a decreased survival in a univariate analysis. Only a high rate of peritonitis was associated with an increase in mortality rate independent from other variables (p = 0.002).

Conclusions: The probability of survival in ESRD in our hospital was low in relation to other nephrology departments of Mexico and other countries. A high rate of peritonitis proved to be an important independent predictor of a lesser survival rate in patients under CPD in our institution.