Background: Computerized modeling is increasingly used to optimize the efficacy of peritoneal dialysis (PD). The Personal Dialysis Capacity (PDC) test is a new tool to model PD efficacy based on the three-pore model of peritoneal mass transport. We sought to evaluate (i) whether the PDC test is applicable to children on chronic PD, and (ii) whether the physiological mass transport coefficients defined in the three pore model are dependent on age or body size in childhood.
Methods: A validation study was performed in 32 pediatric chronic PD patients. Twenty tests were performed using a standard CAPD regimen, and 22 tests using a simplified automated PD (APD) protocol. Test accuracy and precision were evaluated by comparison of predicted with measured 24-hour dialysate clearances of urea, creatinine, beta2-microglobulin and albumin and ultrafiltration rates. Long-term reproducibility was assessed in 16 patients by repeated clearance studies after a median time interval of 10 weeks.
Results: While daily clearances of urea and creatinine were predicted with good precision and accuracy with both test protocols (concordance correlation coefficients 0.90 to 0.98, mean difference predicted-calculated -0.6 to +0.6 ml/min/1.73 m2), ultrafiltration rates were predicted more closely by the APD (r = 0.97) than by the CAPD test (0.80). Middle and large molecule clearances were predicted less precisely in both test settings (r = 0.48 to 0.83). Re-test reproducibility was slightly lower than the predictive precision observed in the original test (r = 0.80 to 0.91). The calculated total peritoneal pore area increased in absolute terms, decreased with body size when standardized to weight, and was independent of body size when normalized to body surface area. The body size-normalized fluid reabsorption rate was slightly increased in young infants compared to older children or adults.
Conclusions: The PDC test permits to model peritoneal solute and water transport with remarkable precision in children of all age groups. While the peritoneal pore area is a linear function of body surface area, fluid reabsorption appears to be slightly increased in young infants.