Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) or Center Hemodialysis? Retrospective Evaluation of the Success of Both Methods

In a retrospective study, the authors analysed the dialysis-technique success rate in 276 chronic renal patients. Of these, 137 patients have been treated with in center hemodialysis (CHD) from 1972 to 1989 and 139 with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) from 1978 to 1989. The six-year technique success rate was 28 % in CAPD and 31 % in CHD (statistically not significantly different). Various risk factors influence the technique-success rate of both methods in the same way. The results suggest that in our center CAPD is as effective as CHD in the treatment of patients with endstage renal failure. KEY WORDS: Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD); center hemodialysis; dialysis; technique success rate. C ontinuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), characterized by simplicity and minimal requirement of equipment and assistance, was introduced by Popovich and Moncrief in 1977 (1) and popularized b