Peritoneal Mass Transfer in Patients on long Term CAPD

Continuous contact of the peritoneum with the dialysis solution during CAPD and peritonitis may produce changes in the peritoneal masstransfer properties. In 35 patients who have been on CAPD for 1–34 months, we have studied the effect of time on CAPD, and peritonitis on mass transfer coefficients (MTC) of urea, creatinine, uric acid, inulin and parathormone (PTH). Even though the mean values of the whole group showed no statistically significant changes, in six patients, the MTCs of some solutes did show significant changes (increase or decrease). Similarly peritonitis produced a varying effect on the MTC of some patients but they counteracted each other, hence the absence of significant effect in mean whole-group values. We have concluded that the permeability of the human peritoneum is highly individual and, in some patients, mass transfer properties of the peritoneum should be assessed periodically in order to make appropriate adjustments in the dialysis schedule.