Dehydration in Elderly Emergency Patients: Increased Risk of Mortality and Acute Kidney Injury

A study of 200 elderly emergency patients admitted to medical wards found that 37% of them were dehydrated. Those who were dehydrated at admission were six times more likely to die in the hospital compared to those who were euvolemic at admission. Additionally, in a cohort study of nearly 33,000 patients, we found that 9% of them were dehydrated at admission. Among those with dehydration, there was a 47% chance of developing acute kidney injury, while in those who were euvolemic, the chance was only 16%. Furthermore, the length of hospital stay was significantly longer for dehydrated patients compared to those who were euvolemic.