Risk Factors Associated with Time to First Infection and Time to Failure on CAPD

Abstract

The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify prognostic risk factors for time to first infection and time to failure among 183 patients on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). This methodology permits continuous variables such as albumin and blood pressure to be used in the predictive equation avoiding arbitrary categorization. Initial serum creatinine and albumin were found to be related to the risk of first infection. Serum creatinine increases the risk whereas albumin is protective. Age and blood pressure are related to an increased risk of failure on CAPD whereas albumin is associated with a lower risk. The occurrence of the first infection almost doubles the risk of failure. Patients who have “high” albumin and “low” blood pressure have a 75th percentile for time to failure on CAPD which is more than 1000 days longer than those who have both “low” albumin and “high” blood pressure.