Complications of peritoneal dialysis related to increased intra-abdominal pressure.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is associated with a number of complications, some of which can be attributed to raised intra-abdominal pressure. Intra-abdominal pressure is highest during coughing or straining--activities which, fortunately, are transient. High pressure, primarily due to high volumes of PD solution, can predispose patients to hernias, dialysate leaks, and back pain; it can also cause altered mechanics of breathing.

Effects of nicotinic acid and lovastatin in combination with cholestyramine in renal transplant patients.

We assessed the short and long-term efficacy and safety of the lipid lowering drugs, nicotinic acid, and the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, lovastatin, in combination with cholestyramine in four renal transplant patients. Combination therapy with cholestyramine failed to lower the TC and LDL to the levels recommended by the NCEP guidelines.

Antibiotic prophylaxis before peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion.

The use of antibiotic prophylaxis before peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion has been a matter of great interest for both the surgical and the nephrology community. No uniform consensus exists on the timing, duration, or choice of antibiotic prophylaxis. The exact incidence of early postoperative peritonitis is unknown.