Clinical Characteristics and Survival Analysis of Elderly Patients Undergoing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

Yang, Jae Won; Kim, Jae Seok; Kim, Bi Ro; Kim, Min Soo; Yoo, Jong Myoung; Han, Seung Tae; Choi, Jeong Wook; Han, Byoung Geun; Choi, Seung Ok

Abstract

PURPOSE
The increased prevalence and incidence of end-stage renal disease in the elderly is a worldwide phenomenon. We investigated the survival rate, technical success, cause of death and the predictors of death in patients starting peritoneal dialysis over 65 years of age.
METHODS
We analyzed 67 patients; 37 were in the elderly group (>65 years of age) and 30 in the control group (45-64 years of age) that started peritoneal dialysis between January 1995 and June 2006. Clinical characteristics and laboratory findings at the beginning of dialysis and 6 months later were retrospectively analyzed. In addition, the survival rate and independent predictors of survival were analyzed.
RESULTS
The prevalence of complication was not different in the two groups. However, leakage of dialysate was more common in the elderly group. The duration of patient survival, serum albumin levels and BMI were lower in the elderly group. The multivariate analysis showed that age, presence of diabetes, initial albumin level, and residual renal function was associated with patient survival, gender, age, initial albumin level, and the prevalence of peritonitis affected the technical success rate.
CONCLUSION
Among elderly patients, leakage was more prevalent compared to the younger patients and the most common cause of death was cardiovascular disease. The presence of diabetes, a low serum albumin and BMI, and residual renal function were associated with the duration of survival