A comparison between five-days per week versus daily dialysis in patients starting peritoneal dialysis on clinical outcomes and quality of life

Abstract

In order to prolong peritoneal dialysis [PD] technique survival, clinicians not only need to focus on protecting patient’s residual kidney function and peritoneal membrane integrity, they also need to address the impact of PD on patient’s daily living. One potential solution is the use of incremental PD (5 days a week dialysis). We have designed an investigator-initiated study to answer the following questions: Is incremental PD a feasible dialysis prescription? • Can PD patients be safely maintained on incremental PD • How long does incremental PD last, until needing daily PD

By having regular peritoneal membrane resting, does incremental PD • Maintain residual renal function and urine output? • Improve patient’s life participation? • Better preserve peritoneal membrane function?

The study will recruit adult patients who have commenced peritoneal dialysis in the previous 3 months and has been designed to fit in with PD patients' standard of care so minimal additional pathology testing will be required.

We expect the incremental dialysis group to report better quality of life and demonstrate non-inferiority in terms of safety data and peritonitis rates.