The choice of treatment modality seems to be influenced strongly by the provider's perspective, being either public with limited HD capacity or private having invested in HD capacity. For public providers (and healthcare payers), CAPD is less expensive than CHD and offers a number of potential savings. In many countries, two CAPD patients could be treated for the same costs as one CHD patient. The microeconomics of private centres, however, are meant to use the investments maximally for CHD. Only if capacity limits are reached, is PD, with mainly supply costs, interesting. The future with constantly increasing numbers of patients and growing cost constraints will force all providers to make the best use of their resources by also offering home therapies such as PD to patients. The latter are cost efficient and offer comparable survival and quality of life.

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Background Incremental dialysis has been suggested for patients with some residual renal function. However, very little published clinical data exist on the feasibility of this schedule. Objectives To assess feasibility of incremental dialysis, with regard to its effect, complications, and impact on quality of life. Design Pilot prospective study, not controlled. Setting Nephrology division, public clinical research hospital. Patients Twenty-five patients (19 men, mean age 61 ± 13 years, body weight 63 ± 11 kg) began peritoneal dialysis (the first treatment of uremia) with a single nightly exchange lasting 10 hours or 2 daily exchanges over 12 hours according to creatinine clearance and Kt/V. Patients gave informed consent and reported their work activity, degree of rehabilitation, and their quality of life by answering a questionnaire prepared for this purpose. Outcome Measures Survival rate, complications related to peritoneal dialysis, and residual renal and peritoneal clearances. Results During the study period no patient died. Complications related to dialysis were peritonitis (0.41 episodes/year) and exit-site infection (0.32 episodes/year). All patients continued to work with full rehabilitation and considered 1 or 2 exchanges per day less troublesome than 3 or 4. Conclusions Incremental dialysis is well accepted by patients and staff. This technique does not involve a high risk of complications and is economical. Therefore incremental dialysis is feasible.