Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been used to treat patients with stage V chronic kidney disease since 1976. However, despite this long history, as of 2008 <8% of prevalent ESRD patients in the United States are treated with PD, a modality mix that is significantly different from what is seen in other developed countries. Data are reviewed that suggest that the reasons for this seem to be caused by non-medical-related issues such as subtle differences in practice patterns and unintended financial considerations. Medical outcome date would seem to favor more utilization of PD. For instance, data from the USRDS suggested that the relative risk of death for PD versus center hemodialysis has been improving, tending to favor those on PD for longer and longer periods of time. Infectious complications have also been markedly reduced. It is anticipated that changes in government reimbursement, such as the bundling of dialysis-related services, will stimulate a renewed interest in home therapies. Currently most home dialysis units are small, and some have minimal clinical experience with PD. If trends in reimbursement do favor a renewed interest in PD, for patient outcomes on PD to continue to improve, there will likely need to be further educational activities focused on PD, and perhaps, consolidation of PD programs may needed.Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 4: S125-S131, 2009. doi: 10.2215/CJN.04760709 P eritoneal dialysis (PD) has been used as a chronic treatment for patients with ESRD since 1976 (1). Although the first patient to be treated with chronic ambulatory PD (CAPD) lived in Austin, TX, as of 2008, Ͻ8% of prevalent patients with ESRD in the United States are on PD, which is markedly different from the experience in other developed countries such as Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong (2). Why is this, and given the current modality mix in the United States, what is the future for PD in terms of patient outcomes, utilization, and technological advances? I became an attending nephrologist in 1984, and I have treated many patients with PD, some for Ͼ15 yr. We have a robust center hemodialysis (CHD) and a robust home dialysis unit (both PD and home hemodialysis [HHD]), our patients do well, and I am the medical director of that unit. It would be fair to say that I am biased toward home dialysis and toward PD in general. It is based on these experiences and my review of the literature that I feel that PD has a future; it is currently underused; and that, over time, patient outcomes on PD should improve even further.
Materials and MethodsAs part of the "State of the art in ESRD" therapies conference, I was asked to prepare and present a talk that commented on the future of PD in the United States. Specifically, I was asked to be provocative and state what is the difference between what happens in the United States and other countries. I was asked to review published data and formulate opinions as to how PD use could grow if clinically appropriate. This paper is a summary of my presentation.
Review of Medical Ou...