Abstract: Objective   To study red blood cell (RBC) lifespan in patients with maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD) and to explore the related factors of RBC lifespan, so as to provide the evidences for a rational treatment.  Methods   The PD patients with stable status and regularly followed up for at least 3 months in the Department of Nephrology, Peking University People’s Hospital from June to August, 2021 were enrolled in this study. RBC lifespan was determined by CO breath test. Their general data, laboratory results, anemia index and anemia treatment were recorded. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Multivariate linear regression was used to analyze the related factors for RBC lifespan.  Results  ①A total of 32 PD patients (17 males and 15 females, with a mean age of 57.42±11.03 years) were enrolled in this study. The average PD duration was 34.0 (20.25, 104.25) months. The major primary disease was chronic glomerulonephritis, accounting for 46.9% of the PD patients. ②The RBC lifespan of PD patients ranged from 44 days to132 days, with an average of 79.45±24.98 days. ③Multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that serum albumin (β=3.269, P=0.010), serum creatinine (β=0.045, P=0.037), and the presence of diabetes (β=-19.702, P=0.041) were the independent factors relating to RBC lifespan.  Conclusion  The shortened RBC lifespan in PD patients is independently related to low serum albumin, low serum creatinine level and diabetes mellitus. Treatment aimed at these factors are required.

Key words: Peritoneal dialysis, Chronic kidney disease, Renal anemia, Red blood cell life span