Is one form of dialysis better than another? Should you always opt for one particular type of dialysis?
This is something every patient wonders about when told they will have to have dialysis. The trouble is when you are first told you need dialysis, you probably have not considered the options until that very moment. And you wonder if you might make the wrong choice.
A recent bit of research looked at 17 other studies of the possible problem and by pooling all the results - 113,578 patients' results over a 21 year period - came to the conclusion that there is no significant difference in the mortality rate between peritoneal dialysis (PD) and in-centre hemodialysis (HD). This could affect the initial counselling of new patients in the run-up to getting dialysis. The research showed that life expectancy was virtually the same for both the therapies.
As PD is a more cost-effective option and helps preserve a normal lifestyle, they concluded that PD should be encouraged. Many people worry that "home treatment" via PD might be riskier than HD, but this appears not to be the case.
