The prevalence of coronary, cerebral, and peripheral arterial disease was assessed using a standard cardiovascular questionnaire in a cohort of 70 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Symptomatic vascular disease was found in 47% of patients, 72% of whom were smokers and 30% diabetic. In 39% of these patients vascular disease was evident prior to the commencement of peritoneal dialysis. A case control study matching for age and sex revealed patients with vascular disease to have higher median systolic blood pressure (162 mmHg vs 150 mmHg, p = 0.026), cholesterol (6.60 mmol/L vs 6.00 mmol/L, p = 0.014), and LDL cholesterol (4.80 mmol/L vs 3.80 mmol/L, p = 0.009). Vascular disease is common in patients on peritoneal dialysis, a considerable proportion of whom have the disease prior to the commencement of dialysis. Elevated systolic blood pressure and hypercholesterolemia, but not smoking, are most closely associated with vascular disease in these patients.

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