I have a huge bias for PD and my six years on PD were my best among those with CKD. PD, I feel offers the best quality of life among all dialysis modalities.  The few diet and fluid restrictions, the possibility of unhindered travel and not having to go to the hospital thrice a week all make this modality very appealing.

The nephrologist community has historically been step-motherly towards this therapy. There are multiple reasons for this. Some of these are due to the doctors, some due to the patients. From a patient's perspective, introducing PD first rather than hemodialysis allows patients to settle into a therapy that is less violent, offers more independence and fewer problems. The switch to hemodialysis, from then on, would pose the same challenges as does the switch to PD from hemodialysis currently.

Dr. Kenar Jhaveri of the famous Nephron Power blog interviewed Dr. Arshia Ghaffari from the Keck School of Medicine for eAJKD, the oficial blog of AJKD. Dr. Ghaffari recently concluded a study where PD was presented as an 'urgent start' modality - where PD is the dialysis modality used without any prior preparation for dialysis. The results were great.

This initiative is very welcome. PD as a successful first line of therapy and that too without any prior preparation should at the very least, reduce an excuse from the list of excuses for not recommending this modality.