Automated peritoneal dialysis - indications and management.

Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) use has increased considerably in the last decade, and its growth has been mainly driven by patient preference and development of new, simpler cyclers. Careful management of the APD prescription can result in adequate solute and fluid removal in vast majority of patients, even anuric and large patients. So far, there are no convincing data that peritonitis rates, decline in residual renal function, protein losses, patient and technique survival, are different for APD and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). APD has the major advantage of allowing positive changes in the life-style of end stage renal disease patients.