Peritoneal dialysis: The unique features by compartmental delivery of renal replacement therapy

Despite decades of research, the clinical efficacy of peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains enigmatic. We may wonder why the modality fail in some patients but perhaps the more proper question would be, why it works in so many? We know that the contribution of residual renal function (RRF), more so than in hemodialysis, is critically important to the well-being of many of the patients. Unique features of the modality include the relatively low volume of dialysate fluid needed to provide effective uremic control and the disproportionate tendency for both hypokalemia and hypoalbuminemia, when compared to hemodialysis. It is currently believed that most uremic toxins are generated on the interface of human and bacterial structures in the gastrointestinal tract, the intestinal biota. PD offers disproportionate removal of these toxins upon “first-pass”, i.e., via PD fluid exchanges before reaching the systemic circulation beyond the gastrointestinal compartment. Studies examining the net removal gradient of protein-bound uremic toxins during PD are scarce, whereas RRF receives considerably more attention without effective interventions being developed to preserve it. We propose an alternative view on PD, emphasizing the modality's compartmental nature, both for its benefits and the limitations.