Management of diabetic patients with haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and renal transplantation.

More than 30 years ago diabetic patients with endstage renal disease (ESRD) were considered as inappropriate candidates for a chronic dialysis programme because of a very high mortality rate and poor longterm survival w1x. In spite of this negative attitude against diabetics on dialysis, not only more and more diabetic patients have been accepted to chronic renal replacement therapy, but diabetes has become the most common cause of ESRD, leading to renal replacement therapy in the western world w2x. Although the prognosis has improved markedly, mortality and morbidity are still higher in diabetic compared to non-diabetic patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), or after renal transplantation.