THE EFFECT OF LOW-CALCIUM DIALYSIS SOLUTIONS ON PERITONITIS RATE IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING CHRONIC PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

İt has been reported that low calcium-dialysate (LCD; ionized calcium concentration 1.25 mmol/L) is associated with a higher peritonitis rate than traditional dialysate (TD; ionized calcium concentration 1.75 mmol/L). The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of peritonitis in children undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis(PD) with LCD and TD. 

The study included a total of 53 children (27 girls, 26 boys), 38 patients treated by TD (19 girls, 19 boys) and 15 by LCD (8 girls, 7 boys), aged 3 to 22 years (average 12.62+5.34 years). The mean duration on TD and LCD was 23.81 ±16.81 months (3 to 72 months) and 23.12+11.01 months (6 to 36 months), respectively. The LCD group were previously treated by TD with a mean duration of 23.33±15.22 months (17 to 36 months). The results are expressed as mean values ± SD and statistical evaluation was made by student's ttest. 

The total observation period was 1563 pt-mos (170 pt-mos on LCD; 488 pt-mos on TD period of LCD; 658 pt-mos on TD) and the overall incidence of peritonitis was one episode (ep) /22.01 pt-mos(1/18.31 pt-mos on LCD; 1/29.1 pt-mos on TD period of LCD; 1/22.6 ptmos on TD). Of these 53 patients, 14 had no peritonitis episodes, 39 patients had one or more episodes of peritonitis (total: 71 episodes). LCD was associated with a higher incidence of peritonitis than TD (p<0.05). 

In conclusion, patients on LCD have significantly higher peritonitis rate than TD patients.