Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of a single baseline serum C-reactive protein (sCRP) as a marker of mortality in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.
Design: A review of prospectively collected data in a 2-year follow-up study.
Setting: Tertiary medical center.
Patients: The study included 106 patients who were stable and had been on CAPD for a minimum of 3 months.
Main outcome measures: Patient survival rate was the main outcome measure of this study. Other outcome measures were technique survival rate, peritonitis rate, and hospitalized days. Covariables used in the survival analysis were age, sex, the presence of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus, sCRP, serum albumin, hematocrit, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, malnutrition by subjective global assessment (SGA), weekly Kt/V urea, and weekly standardized creatinine clearance (SCCr).
Results: The 2-year patient survival rate was significantly lower in the increased sCRP group than in the normal sCRP group (66.7% vs 94.1%, p = 0.001), although there was no significant difference in technique failure, peritonitis rate, and hospitalized days between the two groups. By Cox proportional hazards analysis, independent predictors of mortality were: cardiovascular disease (relative risk, RR = 8.96, p < 0.005); increased sCRP level (RR = 1.19, p < 0.05); and high hematocrit (RR = 1.18, p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Serum CRP at enrollment is an independent predictor of 2-year patient survival in CAPD patients.