Continuous peritoneal dialysis in children: past, present and future.

Continuous peritoneal dialysis (CPD) in children has been an important mode of renal replacement therapy (RRT) since 1978. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) was used initially in children and then, in infants. Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) was introduced in the eighties. Currently. CPD is the predominant mode of RRT in children, and 3/4 of these patients are managed with APD. Certain events have evolved with time, such as: a) growth and nutrition; b) renal osteodystrophy; c) anemia; and d) training. Complications from CPD continue to be a challenge and include: a) peritonitis; b) hernias and c) stress. Future directions in pediatric CAPD are: a) applying techniques to measure dialysis adequacy; b) improvement in dialysis solutions, such as pH, osmolality and different osmotic agents; c) additives to the dialysis fluid, such as hormones, growth factors; d) improvements in catheters and cyclers; and e) strategies to reduce peritonitis rates. There are challenges for CPD in the future; however, it appears to be the most practical and cost-effective dialysis therapy for children with end-stage renal disease.