THE ELDERLY PATIENT ON CAPD: HELPING PATIENTS COPE WITH PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

摘要

The rote of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in managing the elderly patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is being revisited in this issue of Peritoneal Dialysis International (PDI). This is a timely subject given the concerns over the aging population and the high incidence of chronic kidney diseasein the elderly population. About 40% of the United States population >=60 years of age has chronic kidney disease (1). When looking at the incidence and prevalence of ESRD in the USA population, the fastest growing age groups are 65 - 74 years and >75 years. Between 2000 and 2005, the prevalence of ESRD in these age groups has increased by over 25% (2) and a more dramatic increase can be anticipated given the aging of the USA population. It is projected that the number of individuals >=65 years will increase from 35 million in 2000 to 70 million in 2030, and the number >85 years will increase from 4 million in 2000 to 12 million in 2030 (3).