title: Dehydration in hospital-admitted stroke patients: detection, frequency, and association.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Napier University, School of Nursing and Midwifery and Social Care, Edinburgh, Scotland. a.rowat@napier.ac.uk
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rowat
authors.forename: Catriona
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dennis
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003681:Dehydration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004232:Diuretics / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine