Dehydration in hospital-admitted stroke patients: detection, frequency, and association

Abstract

Background and purpose: We aimed to determine the frequency of dehydration, risk factors, and associations with outcomes at hospital discharge after stroke.

Methods: We linked clinical data from stroke patients in 2 prospective hospital registers with routine blood urea and creatinine results. Dehydration was defined by a blood urea-to-creatinine ratio >80.

Results: Of 2591 patients registered, 1606 (62%) were dehydrated at some point during their admission. Independent risk factors for dehydration included older age, female gender, total anterior circulation syndrome, and prescribed diuretics (all P<0.001). Patients with dehydration were significantly more likely be dead or dependent at hospital discharge than those without (χ(2)=170.5; degrees of freedom=2; P<0.0001).

Conclusions: Dehydration is common and associated with poor outcomes. Further work is required to establish if these associations are causal and if preventing or treating dehydration improves outcomes.