COMPARISON OF DIRECT MEDICAL COST OF DIALYSIS IN A MEXICAN COHORT EITHER ON PERITONEAL OR HEMODIALYSIS E. Mayen, E. 1 ,  M. Cortes 1, S.E. Marx 2 , R. Sterz 2 1 Abbott Laboratories de Mexico, Mexico D.F., Mexico; 2 Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Illinois, USA OBJECTIVES: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) poses a high medical and economic burden on healthcare systems. Information on direct medical costs for dialysis patients in Mexico is comparatively sparse. METHODS: Data was collected retrospectively on 40 patients on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) and 40 patients on hemodialysis (HD) from institutional databases of two hospitals of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).  Patient follow up ranged from 3 months up to 67 months. Resources captured in the study were: medications, dialysis procedures, laboratory and diagnostic tests, hospitalizations and medical consultations, blood and hemoderivatives and catheter procedures. Drug and medical services costs were calculated using information from the Mexican Government website (http://web.compranet.gob.mx ) based on 2010 fees. All costs were converted into US dollars (1USD=  12.54 Mexican pesos ).   RESULTS: 40 patients on peritoneal dialysis (APD, age 50 ± 15.6,  40% female) and  40 patients on hemodialysis ( HD , age 47 ± 17.3 years , 42,5 % female). Total annual costs were: USD 12,589 (APD), USD 7,541 (PD). Dialysis: USD 1,058 (APD) , USD 13,739 (HD).  Hospitalization:  USD 6,212 (APD), USD 6,128 (HD). Medication: USD 5,043 ( APD), USD 7,580 (HD). Costs for complications: USD 5,586 (APD) and USD 3,943 (HD).     CONCLUSIONS: Dialysis patients either on peritoneal or hemodialysis present a high cost burden to the Mexican Health system. Medication and hospitalization costs constitute a major part of the total costs. Further investigations are needed to understand how to optimize care to avoid some of these costs.