Peritoneal dialysis relieves clinical symptoms and is well tolerated in patients with refractory heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

AIMS:

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and clinical outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatment in patients with severe refractory heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS AND RESULTS:

The PD treatment was performed in 118 patients [49.2% New York Heart Association (NYHA) III and 50.8% NYHA IV] with a mean age of 73.2 ± 11.4 years as an in-centre-based and intermittent automated PD at least three times per week for 12 h per session and followed up for 1.11 ± 1.17 years. The functional status of those surviving for 6 months improved (P < 0.0001): 18 (32.1%) of all 60 patients with NYHA IV at baseline died within 6 months, 3 (5.4%) converted to NYHA III, 33 (58.9%) to NYHA II, and 2 (3.6%) to NYHA I. In all 58 patients with NYHA III at baseline, 14 (25.0%) died within 6 months, 27 (48.2%) converted to NYHA II, 12 (21.4%) to NYHA I, and 3 (5.4%) showed no improvement. In those surviving for 6 months, fluid overload was significantly reduced as body weight decreased, from 78.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 75.8-81.7] to 74.7 (71.5-77.9) after 6 months after multiple imputation (P < 0.001). The overall survival rates after 3, 6, and 12 months were 77% (95% CI 70-85), 71% (95% CI 62-79), and 55% (95% CI 45-64). In the multivariate analyses, age, diabetes mellitus, serum urea, and brain natriuretic peptide were significantly associated with mortality. The incidence of peritonitis and catheter dysfunction was 0.053 (95% CI 0.014-0.093) and 0.084 (95% CI 0.034-0.133), respectively.

CONCLUSION:

The data suggest that PD is a safe, efficient, and well tolerated therapeutic tool for patients with refractory chronic HF and CKD.