COMPARISON BETWEEN CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS AND IN CENTER HEMODIALYSIS

The data on 39 patients on hemodialysis and 19 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) were compared in terms of correction of metabolic abnormalities, types of complications necessitating admission, and total cost of each modality of treatment. The mean age of patients on hemodialysis was 42 years and that of those on CAPD was 39 years. Mean duration of follow-up was 21 months for hemodialysis patients and 14 months for CAPD patients. There were no significant differences in the biochemical profiles between the two groups apart from the total CO2 which was significantly higher in CAPD patients than hemodialysis patients. Although there was no statistical difference in the mean hemoglobin values, the transfusion requirements were markedly different. On the whole CAPD patients needed more days in hospital for initial work-up and for treatment of complications than did HD patients. The cost of CAPD was significantly less than hemodialysis (3714 SR per patient per month versus 6180 SR per patient per month) but this difference becomes less once hospitalization costs are considered as part of the cost for care for CAPD patients (8364 SR per patient per month for hemodialysis versus 6534 SR per patient per month for CAPD).