Changes in water transport across the peritoneum during treatment with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in selected patients with and without peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: The natural course of longitudinal changes in peritoneal permeability and membrane area has been studied mostly by performing single-dwell studies in selected patients during treatment with peritoneal dialysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the permeability characteristics of the peritoneal membrane by measuring drained ultrafiltration volume relative to initial glucose concentration in dialysis fluid from the start to the end of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatment in a selected cohort of patients with and without peritonitis.

DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of a group of patients whose peritoneal function was prospectively followed by recording drained ultrafiltration volume and glucose concentration in dialysis fluid for each dwell time, every day, during the time in CAPD treatment. Mean values from a 1-month period starting after the first 3 weeks of CAPD treatment were compared with the mean values from the last month of treatment. Approximately 11 500 exchanges were analyzed. Evaluations were done separately for short (day) and long (night) dwell times. PATIENTS AND STATISTICS: Of 132 patients commencing CAPD treatment in the time period selected for inclusion, 51 had enough data to be included in this study. Of these, 29 patients experienced one or more episodes of successfully treated peritonitis. The selection of patients was not based upon patient characteristics, but upon criteria to satisfy predefined demands, such as number of measurements in each period, time since an episode of peritonitis, and time on CAPD treatment. Data were analyzed in three different groups: patients with episodes of peritonitis, patients without peritonitis, and both groups together. To assess changes between monthly mean at the start and at the end of CAPD, paired t-test was performed. Patients were also stratified into two groups according to low and high glucose in dialysis fluid at the start of CAPD (cutoff = 2 g/dL). Additionally, we used linear regression analyses to predict the level of drained ultrafiltration volume for a given level and change in glucose concentration. Mean treatment time for the entire group was 20 months (median 14.3 months), ranging from 6 to 69 months.

RESULTS: No statistical differences in glucose concentrations were found between the periods compared. In the entire group there was an increase in ultrafiltration volume from the start to the end of CAPD treatment, for both day (p = 0.009) and night (p = 0.013) exchanges. Also, for patients without peritonitis, an increase appeared for day (p = 0.046) and night exchanges (p = 0.053). However, for the cohort with peritonitis, only an insignificant increase was indicated. Patient characteristics, diabetic patients, the need for glucose in dialysis fluid when commencing CAPD treatment, the number of episodes of peritonitis, and time on CAPD did not influence the change in ultrafiltration. Regression analyses showed higher ultrafiltration response to a given level and change in glucose concentration at the end of CAPD treatment compared to the start values, also for the cohort with peritonitis. The regression coefficient between these variables was also significantly changed for both day (p < 0.0001) and night (p = 0.027) exchanges.

CONCLUSION: A significant change in the regression coefficient between glucose in dialysis fluid and ultrafiltration volume reflects an increase in ultrafiltration response to a given level and change in glucose concentration during time on CAPD treatment. A parallel change after 5- and 9-hour dwells can be explained by a decrease in peritoneal surface area combined with a lesser decrease in peritoneal conductivity. However, changes in Starling forces across the peritoneal membrane are possible even in the absence of changes in peritoneal membrane characteristics.