Changes in peritoneal equilibration test values during long-term peritoneal dialysis in peritonitis-free children

Little is known about the changes in peritoneal equilibration test (PET) va lues in children on long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). In the present stud y, a PET was carried out every 6 months in 39 children (mean age 8.8 +/- 5. 5 years) undergoing PD for 6 to 85 months (mean 36.9 +/- 23.1 months). Pati ents experiencing peritonitis were excluded. Both D/P creatinine (dialysate -to-plasma ratio of creatinine at 4 hours) and D/D-o glucose (ratio of dial ysate glucose at 4 hours' dwell time to dialysis glucose at 0 dwell time) w ere measured 195 times in this series of patients. No remarkable change was found for DIP creatinine or D/D-o glucose during the first 24 months of PD but thereafter, D/P creatinine increased gradually and D/D-o glucose decre ased gradually. Mean D/P creatinine increased significantly after the first 24 months of PD: from 0.66 +/- 0.12 during the first 24 months, to 0.70 +/ - 0.09 after 25 months and more of PD (p = 0.0051). Mean D/D-o glucose decr eased significantly after 24 months of PD: from 0.42 +/- 0.09 during the fi rst 24 months, to 0.38 +/- 0.08 after 25 months and more of PD (p = 0.0015) . The most significant change for both D/P creatinine and D/D-o glucose occ urred after 24 months of PD. It seems reasonable to consider the mean PET v alues at 24 months of PD as the standard PET values.