Early initiation of dialysis and late implantation of catheters adversely affect outcomes of patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis.

OBJECTIVES: Predialysis nephrology care is thought to affect morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. This study evaluated the impact of different patterns of predialysis care on outcomes of patients undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD).

DESIGN: Retrospective cohort.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 275 patients enrolled from January 1997 to March 2005 in a medical center in North Taiwan who recently initiated dialysis were classified according to early or late referral to nephrologists (> or =6 or <6 months of dialysis), planned or late implantation of Tenckhoff catheters (absence or presence of preceding emergent hemodialysis), and early or late start of dialysis [glomerular filtration rate (GFR) > or =5 or <5 mL/minute/1.73 m(2)].

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause mortality and hospitalization.

RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 2.5 years, 41 deaths, 38 transfers to hemodialysis, and 26 renal transplantations occurred. Late start of dialysis was associated with a significant survival benefit (log rank, p = 0.012) and, along with planned implantation of catheters, exhibited a reduced risk for all-cause hospitalization (log rank, p = 0.025, 0.013). The predictors of overall mortality included baseline GFR [hazard ratio (HR) 1.18, p = 0.023], age (HR 1.07, p < 0.001), and diabetes (HR 3.64, p = 0.001); whereas the risk factors for all-cause hospitalization included age (HR 1.02, p = 0.012), late implantation of catheters (HR 1.78, p = 0.011), and diabetes (HR 1.92, p = 0.005). The timing of nephrology referral did not affect either death or hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data do not support earlier initiation of PD, but underscore the importance of planned implantation of catheters before commencement of chronic PD.