REPORT FROM THE 1995 CORE INDICATORS FOR PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS STUDY-GROUP

The 1995 Peritoneal Dialysis Core Indicators Study was conducted by th e Health Care Financing Administration to ascertain standard practices and Outcomes in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients, Data from 1,202 patients who did not receive hemodialysis but who were on chronic amb ulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for at least part of the 6-month pe riod between November 1, 1994; and April 30, 1995, are reported, The m ean serum albumin level for this cohort was 3.5 g/dL by the bromcresol purple method, Data sufficient to calculate a weekly Kt/V-urea or wee kly creatinine clearance were available for only 34% of patient submis sions, in these patients, the median weekly Kt/V-urea was 1.7 using a fixed value for V of 0.58 x body weight and was 2.0 using the Watson e quation to calculate V; the median weekly creatinine clearance was 60. 7 L/wk/1.73 m(2), The mean hematocrit for this cohort was 32% and the average weekly recombinant human erythropoietin (rHmEPO) dose was 115 u/kg. Hematocrit values less than or equal to 30% were found in 50% of black patients and 31% of white patients. The average blood pressure among peritoneal dialysis patients was 139/80 mm Hg, with 29% of patie nts having a systolic blood pressure exceeding 150 mm Hg and 18% a dia stolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg. In summary, serum albumin levels were significantly lower in peritoneal dialysis patients than in hemodialysis patients, Approximately one third of peritoneal dialys is patients did not have an adequacy measure obtained during the 6-mon th observation period. A significant minority of patients had either i nadequately treated anemia of chronic renal disease or hypertension. T here is an opportunity to substantially improve the medical care provi ded to chronic peritoneal dialysis patients. (C) 1997 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.