Pediatric Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis Patients Research Articles

Implementation of standardized follow-up care significantly reduces peritonitis in children on chronic peritoneal dialysis

The Standardizing Care to improve Outcomes in Pediatric End stage renal disease (SCOPE) Collaborative aims to reduce peritonitis rates in pediatric chronic peritoneal dialysis patients by increasing implementation of standardized care practices. To assess this, monthly care bundle compliance and annualized monthly peritonitis rates were evaluated from 24 SCOPE centers that were participating at collaborative launch and that provided peritonitis rates for the 13 months prior to launch. Changes in bundle compliance were assessed using either a logistic regression model or a generalized linear mixed model. Changes in average annualized peritonitis rates over time were illustrated using the latter model. In the first 36 months of the collaborative, 644 patients with 7977 follow-up encounters were included. The likelihood of compliance with follow-up care practices increased significantly (odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.10, 1.19). Mean monthly peritonitis rates significantly decreased from 0.63 episodes per patient year (95% confidence interval 0.43, 0.92) prelaunch to 0.42 (95% confidence interval 0.31, 0.57) at 36 months postlaunch. A sensitivity analysis confirmed that as mean follow-up compliance increased, peritonitis rates decreased, reaching statistical significance at 80% at which point the prelaunch rate was 42% higher than the rate in the months following achievement of 80% compliance. In its first 3 years, the SCOPE Collaborative has increased the implementation of standardized follow-up care and demonstrated a significant reduction in average monthly peritonitis rates.

The importance of ultrasonographic measurement of peritoneal wall thickness in pediatric chronic peritoneal dialysis patients

Loss of peritoneal function due to peritoneal fibrosing syndrome (PFS) is a major factor leading to treatment failure in chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Although the precise biologic mechanisms responsible for these changes have not been defined, the general assumption is that alterations in peritoneal function are related to structural changes in the peritoneal membrane. Studies of the peritoneal membrane by non-invasive ultrasonography (US) in chronic PD patients are limited. The aim of the present study is to assess the relationship between functional parameters of peritoneum and peritoneal thickness measured by US in children treated by chronic PD. We recruited two groups of patients: 23 subjects (13 females, 10 males) on chronic PD (patient group) and 26 (7 females, 19 males) on predialysis out-patient follow-up (creatinine clearance: 20–60 mL/min/1.73 m2) (control group). Age, sex, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), chronic PD duration, episodes of peritonitis and the results of peritoneal equilibration test (PET) were recorded. Hemoglobin (Hb), blood pressure (BP), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and renal osteodystrophy (ROD) parameters were also obtained. The thickness of the parietal peritoneum was measured by trans-abdominal US in all children. Statistical analyses were performed by using Student's t and Pearson's correlation tests. Mean peritoneal thickness in chronic PD patients (1028.26 ± 157.26 μm) was significantly higher than control patients (786.52 ± 132.33). Mean peritoneal thickness was significantly correlated with mean body height (R2 = 0.93, p < 0.05), BMI (R2 = 0.25, p < 0.05), chronic PD duration (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.05), episodes of peritonitis (R2 = 0.93, p < 0.05), D/Pcreatinine (R2 = 0.76, p < 0.05) and D4/D0glucose (R2 = 0.81, p < 0.05). No correlation was found between peritoneal thickness and Hb, BP, LVMI and ROD parameters. In conclusion, ultrasonographic measurement of peritoneal membrane thickness is a simple and non-invasive method in chronic PD children. This diagnostic tool likely enables to assess peritoneal structure and function in these patients.

Design of the standardizing care to improve outcomes in pediatric end stage renal disease collaborative.

The Standardizing Care to Improve Outcomes in Pediatric End Stage Renal Disease (SCOPE) Collaborative is a North American multi-center quality transformation effort whose primary aim is to minimize exit-site infection and peritonitis rates among pediatric chronic peritoneal dialysis patients. The project, developed by the quality improvement faculty and staff at the Children's Hospital Association's Quality Transformation Network (QTN) and content experts in pediatric nephrology and pediatric infectious diseases, is modeled after the QTN's highly successful Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Hematology-Oncology central line-associated blood-stream infection (CLABSI) Collaboratives. Like the Association's other QTN efforts, the SCOPE Collaborative is part of a broader effort to assist pediatric nephrology teams in learning about and using quality improvement methods to develop and implement evidence-based practices. In addition, the design of this project allows for targeted research that builds on high-quality, ongoing data collection. Finally, the project, while focused on reducing peritoneal dialysis catheter-associated infections, will also serve as a model for future pediatric nephrology projects that could further improve the quality of care provided to children with end stage renal disease.

Comorbidities in Chronic Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Report of the International Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Network

BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES, AND METHODS: Hospitalization and mortality rates in pediatric dialysis patients remain unacceptably high. Although studies have associated the presence of comorbidities with an increased risk for death in a relatively small number of pediatric dialysis patients, no large-scale study had set out to describe the comorbidities seen in pediatric dialysis patients or to evaluate the impact of those comorbidities on outcomes beyond the newborn period. In the present study, we evaluated the prevalence of comorbidities in a large international cohort of pediatric chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) patients from the International Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Network registry and began to assess potential associations between those comorbidities and hospitalization rates and mortality. Information on comorbidities was available for 1830 patients 0 - 19 years of age at dialysis initiation. Median age at dialysis initiation was 9.1 years [interquartile range (IQR): 10.9], median follow-up for calculation of hospitalization rates was 15.2 months (range: 0.2 - 80.9 months), and total follow-up time in the registry was 2095 patient-years. At least 1 comorbidity had been reported for 602 of the patients (32.9%), with 283 (15.5%) having cognitive impairment; 230 (12.6%), motor impairment; 167 (9.1%), cardiac abnormality; 76 (4.2%), pulmonary abnormality; 212 (11.6%), ocular abnormality; and 101 (5.5%), hearing impairment. Of the 150 patients (8.2%) that had a defined syndrome, 85% had at least 1 nonrenal comorbidity, and 64% had multiple comorbidities. The presence of at least 1 comorbidity was associated with a higher hospitalization rate [hospital days per 100 observation days: 1.7 (IQR: 5.8) vs 1.2 (IQR: 3.9), p = 0.001] and decreased patient survival (4-year survival rate: 73% vs 90%, p < 0.0001). Nearly one third of pediatric CPD patients in a large international cohort had at least 1 comorbidity, and multiple comorbidities were frequently reported among patients with a defined syndrome. Preliminary analysis suggests an association between comorbidity and poor outcome in those patients. As this powerful international registry matures, further multivariate analyses will be important to more clearly define the impact of comorbidities on hospitalization rates and mortality in pediatric CPD patients.

Defining Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Children on Peritoneal Dialysis

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important end point of dialysis-associated cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different pediatric reference systems on the estimated prevalence of LVH in children on chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD). Echocardiographic studies in 507 pediatric CPD patients from neonatal age to 19 years were collected in 55 pediatric dialysis units around the globe. We compared the prevalence of LVH on the basis of the traditional cutoff of left ventricular mass (LVM) index (>38.5 g/m(2.7)) with three novel definitions of LVH that were recently established in healthy pediatric cohorts. Application of the new reference systems eliminated the apparently increased prevalence of LVH in young children obtained by the traditional fixed LVM index cutoff currently still recommended by consensus guidelines. However, substantial differences of LVM distribution between the new reference charts resulted in a marked discrepancy in estimated LVH prevalence ranging between 27.4% and 51.7%. Although our understanding of the anthropometric determinants of heart size during childhood is improving, more consistent normative echocardiographic data from large populations of healthy children are required for cardiovascular diagnostics and research.

Adiponectin Levels and Atherosclerotic Risk Factors in Pediatric Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Atherosclerotic vascular diseases are the major cause of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated with chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD), even in children. Adiponectin (ADPN) is a recently discovered adipocyte-derived plasma protein having anti-atherogenic properties. ADPN levels are elevated in ESRD but it has been reported that ESRD patients with low plasma ADPN levels have a high risk of cardiovascular death. To clarify the atherosclerotic risk and especially the significance of ADPN levels in pediatric patients on CPD. Cross-sectional studyin the pediatric peritoneal dialysis unit of a university hospital. 18 children, aged 12.6 +/- 5.6 years, being treated with CPD and 20 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects were enrolled in this study. Serum ADPN levels and other risk factors, including blood pressure, blood glucose, serum lipid/lipoprotein fractions, apolipoprotein B, C-reactive protein (CRP), lipoprotein(a), and homocysteine levels, were studied in CPD patients and compared to the controls. Serum ADPN levels were three times higher in the CPD group compared to the control subjects, as was previously reported. Apolipoprotein B and CRP levels were also high in the CPD group. No significant difference was found in other atherosclerotic parameters, including lipoprotein(a) and homocysteine levels. Interestingly, we found a negative correlation between log ADPN and creatinine levels among the CPD patients (r = -0.54, p < 0.05). There was no correlation between log ADPN and duration of CPD. Creatinine and low-density lipoprotein levels could account for 54% of the total variation in ADPN levels. Among pediatric CPD patients, serum levels of the anti-atherogenic protein, ADPN, were inversely associated with creatinine. ADPN level might be a novel marker to predict prognosis in pediatric CPD patients.

Chronic peritoneal dialysis in Turkish children: a multicenter study

Chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) has been utilized in the treatment of children since 1989 in Turkey. The aims of this study were to summarize our experience with CPD in children and to establish a pediatric registry data system in Turkey. Standard questionnaires were sent to all pediatric CPD centers. 514 patients treated between 1989 and 2002 in 12 pediatric centers were enrolled in the study. Reflux nephropathy was the most common (18.1%) cause of renal failure. Mean age at dialysis initiation was 10.1+/-4.6 years. Mean duration of dialysis was 24.1+/-20.5 months. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) was the first CPD modality for 476 (92.6%) patients, 142 of whom switched to automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) during follow-up. Currently, 47.3% of the patients are still on CPD, 15.4% were transplanted, 13.2% switched to hemodialysis, 16.7% died. The patient and technique survivals were 90% and 95% at one year and 70% and 69% at five years, respectively. The survival was significantly shorter in the youngest age group (0-24 months) compared to those in older age groups (p=0.000). We herein report the first results of the TUPEPD study providing information on demographic data and survival of pediatric CPD patients. As opposed to clear recommendations in favor of APD, there is a clear preponderance of CAPD in our pediatric CPD population. That vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is still the leading cause of renal failure is a distressing finding. Remarkably lower survival rates and transplantation ratios are as striking and distressing as the high incidence of VUR among the causes of ESRD. We conclude that we must make a great effort to achieve better results and to change these undesirable events.

Cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from pediatric chronic peritoneal dialysis patients.

Previous reports have documented impaired cytokine production by peritoneal macrophages in chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) patients. To determine if this observed defect was a reflection of systemic mononuclear cell dysfunction, the function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from pediatric patients on CPD was assessed after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA and protein were measured before and after stimulation with LPS. There was no significant difference in the response of mononuclear cells from CPD patients and normal controls in terms of increase in TNF-alpha mRNA [median stimulation index (SI) = 6.6 vs. 3.7, P = 0.35] or IL-1 beta mRNA (median SI = 6.2 vs. 6.5, P = 1.0). There was also no significant difference between the median increase in TNF-alpha protein secretion (median 372 pg/ml vs. 373 pg/ml, P = 0.60). These results suggest that systemic mononuclear cell function may be intact in CPD patients, and therefore this does not account for the dysfunction of peritoneal macrophages that has been previously reported.

IgG subclass levels in pediatric patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis

Patients maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) have been reported to have a variety of abnormalities of humoral immunity, including hypogammaglobulinemia, altered response to vaccination, and selective absence of IgG2. We measured serum immunoglobulin and IgG subclass levels in 22 pediatric CPD patients followed at our institution; 8 patients had low total IgG; 4 of these had low levels of IgG2 and 3 also had low IgG1, but IgG2 levels were detected in all patients. Thus, many pediatric CPD patients may have low IgG, and some may have low IgG1 and IgG2 as a reflection of low total IgG. However, we did not demonstrate a selective absence of IgG2 in these patients.