Peritoneal dialysis as a treatment option in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

PURPOSE: When choosing a dialysis option for ADPKD patients, peritoneal dialysis (PD) is often discouraged, due to its potential drawbacks: risk of abdominal hernias and dialysis fluid leaks, risk of peritonitis and insufficient dialysis adequacy. The present study was designed to compare the outcomes and dialysis efficacy in ADPKD patients treated with PD, in comparison with non-ADPKD subjects. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of the data from the national PD registry in which 106 ADPKD and 1606 non-ADPKD incident PD patients were evaluated. Data on dialysis adequacy, risk of dialysis-associated complications, as well as patient and technique survival were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The ADPKD patients did not differ from the non-ADPKD controls in terms of dialysis adequacy. After a median observation time of 32 months, there were no differences in patient or technique survival. The risk of abdominal hernias and dialysis fluid leaks was twice as high in ADPKD subjects, compared to the non-ADPKD group. However, these complications did not result in a need for a permanent transfer to hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: Dialysis adequacy, and patient and technique survival are similar in the ADPKD and non-ADPKD patients treated with PD. PD seems a feasible treatment option for end-stage renal failure in the course of ADPKD.