PURPOSE:Understanding the importance of euhydration in humans in order to ensure good health in various situations, the purpose of this review is to examine the available techniques in assessing hydration status. RECENT FINDINGS: During the past 20 years, many indices have been developed to assess hydration levels accurately in humans. Changes in body weight, haematological and urine parameters, bioelectrical impedance, [...]
Objectives: to examine current practice with regard to hydration in acute stroke (part 1) to identify problem areas, to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention package (part 2). Design: prospective, repeated measures, between subjects Setting: a district general hospital. Participants: consecutive admissions with an acute stroke. Part 1 involved 30 patients, 14 of whom were [...]
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Origin of sex difference in urinary osmolality. METHODS: In 495 healthy children aged 4.0-14.9 years participating in the DONALD (Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed) study (247 boys, 248 girls), the water intake recorded in 24-hour weighed dietary records along with urinary volume, osmolality and free water reserve in 24-hour urine samples from the same day as the dietary record were determined. RESULTS: Boys showed [...]
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Abnormal physiological parameters after acute stroke may induce early neurological deterioration. Studies of the effect of dehydration on stroke outcome are limited. We examined the association of raisedplasma osmolality on stroke outcome at 3 months and the change of plasma osmolality with hydration during the first weekafter stroke. METHODS: Acute stroke patients had their plasma osmolality measured at admission and at days 1, 3, [...]
Two studies were performed during Ramadan, one in the UK (N=31) and the other in Libya (N=33). The aims were to assess some changes to lifestyle that are produced by fasting as well as effects due to culture. Subjects were studied on eight separate occasions: four control days (two before and two after Ramadan) and four days during the four weeks of Ramadan itself. [...]
In order to test the hypothesis that urine colour can be used as an index of hydration in critically ill patients, we selected 40 intensive care and high-dependency patients and correlated urine colour (scored on an eight-point scale) with various indices of hydration: urine:plasma sodium, osmolality and urea ratios, urine output and central venous pressure. In addition, we compared the colour-chart score with scores made by intensive care nurses (without the benefit of a colour chart) in [...]
To investigate the impact of fluid composition on rehydration effectiveness, 30 subjects (15 men and 15 women) were studied during 2 h of rehydration after a 2.5% body weight loss. In a randomized crossover design, subjects rehydrated with water (H2O), chicken broth (CB: 109.5 mmol/l Na, 25.3 mmol/l K), a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink (CE: 16.0 mmol/l [...]
Dehydration is the most common fluid and electrolyte problem among the elderly. The usual causes of water loss are frequently absent in dehydrated elderly patients. Age-related changes in total body water, thirst perception, renal concentrating ability, and vasopressin effectiveness probably predispose to dehydration. Dehydration related to infection, high-protein tube feedings, cerebral vascular accidents, and medication-related hypodypsia are particularly relevant for elderlypatients. Appropriate treatment [...]
It is well known that fluid and electrolyte balance are critical to optimal exercise performance and, moreover, health maintenance. Most research conducted on extreme sporting endeavour (>3 hours) is based on case studies and studies involving small numbers of individuals. Ultra-endurance sportsmen and women typically do not meet their fluid needs during exercise. However, successful [...]
Maintenance of water balance is essential to normal physiologic function and vigorous aging. Older adults, however, frequently experience alterations in fluid homeostasis, which result in dehydration. This article describes the physiology of water balance, age-related changes that influence fluid regulation, and associated risk factors for dehydration in older adults. Fluid hygiene is an important health promotion activity for this age group, but when efforts to prevent imbalance are [...]