OBJECTIVES: Long-term experience of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) in general, and in diabetic patients specifically, is limited. Few patients have been followed on PD for over 8 years. Our aim was to evaluate and characterize long-term survivors (LTS) on PD for more than 100 months. A retrospective analysis of 20 patients who survived on PD for more than 100 months was performed. Data on long-term survivors was compared to data of 103 patients who died or switched to hemodialysis (HD) in less than 100 months. DESIGN: The study included all patients starting PD prior to 1 January 1986. Demographic, biochemical, dialysis prescription, and morbidity data were obtained on these patients. Characteristics of long-term survivors on PD (more than 100 months), was compared with those who died or switched to HD in less than 100 months, using Student t-test. SETTING: An experienced single center, university-based dialysis program. PATIENTS: 165 patients started PD at the University of Wisconsin prior to 1 January 1986. Forty three had type I diabetes mellitus and 24 had type II diabetes mellitus as the cause of their renal failure. RESULTS: Twenty patients survived on PD more than 100 months (LTS). Long-term survival of type I diabetic patients was seen in 7 of 43 patients at risk. Seventeen type I diabetics received renal transplants and ten died. 103 patients either died or switched to HD in less than 100 months. Long-term survivors were significantly younger, weighed less, had fewer episodes of peritonitis, fewer hospital days, and were prescribed more dialysis per kg body weight, than those who died or switched to HD prior to 100 months. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term survival on CAPD for longer than 100 months is possible with survival periods up to 18 years in both males and females and in nondiabetics as well as patients with type I diabetes mellitus. No patient with type II diabetes mellitus survived longer than 100 months on CAPD. In comparison to short-term survivors, long-term survivors were characterized by being younger, weighing less, having fewer episodes of peritonitis, fewer hospital days, and were prescribed more dialysis/kg body weight.

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