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QUESTION: In older patients with mild to moderate dehydration, how do subcutaneous (SC) and intravenous (IV) infusions compare for acceptance, feasibility, and adverse effects?
Design
Randomised {allocation concealed}†,* unblinded*, trial with median 6 days duration of fluid use.
Setting
Geriatric wards of a hospital in Tübingen, Germany.
Patients
96 patients who were ≥ 60 years of age (mean age 85 y, 70% women), had mild to moderate dehydration, and needed parenteral fluids. Exclusion criteria included infectious and allergic skin diseases, generalised oedema, acute myocardial infarction, manifest or imminent shock, IV drug requirement, and total parenteral nutrition. Follow up was 92%.
Intervention
Patients were allocated to receive SC (n=48) or IV (n=48) infusions of half normal saline glucose solutions (containing glucose 5% and half isotonic electrolytes). The amount and duration of fluid therapy depended on …
Footnotes
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Source of funding: no external funding.
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For correspondence: Dr G Slesak, Tropenklinik Paul-Lechler-Krankenhaus, Tübingen, Germany. guentherslesak{at}web.de
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↵† Information provided by author.