Objective To investigate the factors that influence the survival rate of the ESRD patients caused by diabetic nephropathy(DN) receiving peritoneal dialysis and the time to begin peritoneal dialysis. Methods Fouty-nine patients were divided into two groups according to death or survival in the second year after peritoneal dialysis. The relationship between residual renal function, nutritional status and complications at the initiation of dialysis were analyzed and compared. Results Compared with survival group, the blood urea nitrogen(BUN) and serum creatinine(Scr) were significantly higher and the endogenous creatinine clearance rate(Ccr) were significantly lower in death group. Death group had lower levels of hemoglobin and serum albumin and more complications than survival group. Conclusions The residual renal function, nutritional status and complications at the initiation of dialysis were associated with the survival rate of ESRD patients caused by DN. The time to begin dialysis should be synthetically determined by residual renal function, nutritional status and complications.