Outcome of young and elderly diabetic patients on ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: the experience of a community hospital in Puerto Rico [see comments]

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical results of a group of young and elderly diabetic patients on ambulatory peritoneal dialysis at a large comprehensive tertiary care community hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico in relation to rehabilitation characteristics, compliance, complications and survival. DESIGN: The medical records of all patients with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus trained between June 1985 and June 1992 were reviewed. This group of patients was subdivided according to age, in young (20-50 years) and elderly (50 or over). A comparable number of nondiabetics were selected at random for each of the two age groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The patient were studied for age, sex, need of assistance from a partner during dialysis, causes of transfer and hospitalizations, peritonitis, rehabilitation, patients compliance and outcome including mortality. RESULTS: Young diabetics versus non-diabetics There were 45 patients in the diabetic group (37.8 percent females) and 57 in the non-diabetic group (54.4percent female) with a total observation time of 52.52 patient-months among the diabetics and 82.17 patient-months in the non-diabetic. Mean age of the diabetic patient was 39.9 +/- 8.8 and 36.7 +/- 8.7 for the non-diabetic...