Residual renal function (RRF) is of paramount importance in patients with end-stage renal disease, with benefits that go beyond contributing to achievement of adequacy targets. Several studies have found that RRF rather than overall adequacy (as estimated from total small solute removal rates) is an essential marker of patient and, to a lesser extent, technique survival during chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. In addition, RRF is associated with a reduction in blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy, increased sodium removal and improved fluid status, lower serum beta(2)-microglobulin, phosphate and uric acid levels, higher serum hemoglobin and bicarbonate levels, better nutritional status, a more favorable lipid profile, decreased circulating inflammatory markers, and lower risk for peritonitis in PD. As compared with conventional hemodialysis, PD is associated with a slower decrease in RRF. This highlights the usefulness of strategies oriented to preserve both RRF and the long-term viability of the peritoneal membrane. Several factors contributing to the loss of RRF have been identified and should be avoided. Renoprotective drugs and new glucose-sparing, more biocompatible PD regimes may prove useful tools to preserve RRF and peritoneal membrane function in the near future.

IntroductionIt is desirable for patients to play active roles in the choice of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Patient decision aid tools (PDAs) have been developed to allow the patients to choose the option best suited to their individual needs.Material and MethodsAn observational, prospective registry was conducted in 26 Spanish hospitals between September 2010 and May 2012. The results of the patients’ choice and the definitive RRT modality were registered through the progressive implementation of an Education Process (EP) with PDAs designed to help Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients choose RRT.ResultsPatients included in this study: 1044. Of these, 569 patients used PDAs and had made a definitive choice by the end of registration. A total of 88.4% of patients chose dialysis [43% hemodialysis (HD) and 45% peritoneal dialysis (PD)] 3.2% preemptive living-donor transplant (TX), and 8.4% conservative treatment (CT). A total of 399 patients began RRT during this period. The distribution was 93.4% dialysis (53.6% HD; 40% PD), 1.3% preemptive TX and 5.3% CT. The patients who followed the EP changed their mind significantly less often [kappa value of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.86–0.95)] than those who did not follow it, despite starting unplanned treatment [kappa value of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.75–0.95]. A higher agreement between the final choice and a definitive treatment was achieved by the EP and planned patients [kappa value of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89–0.98)]. Those who did not go through the EP had a much lower index of choosing PD and changed their decision more frequently when starting definitive treatment [kappa value of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.55–0.91)].ConclusionsFree choice, assisted by PDAs, leads to a 50/50 distribution of PD and HD choice and an increase in TX choice. The use of PDAs, even with an unplanned start, achieved a high level of concordance between the chosen and definitive modality.

ORIGINAL ARTICLES♦ Background and Objectives: Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease, non-CVD causes account for more than 50% of total deaths. We previously showed that, compared with men, women starting dialysisboth hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD)-have higher non-CVD mortality rates. Here, we evaluate sex-specific outcomes in a large cohort of incident PD patients.

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