Gerontological Nursing Interventions Research Center (GNIRC)

Title: Hydration Status of the Elderly: Validity of Non-Invasive Measures for Assessment

Principal Investigator: Phyllis Gaspar, PhD, RN

Study Site: Winona State University

Abstract

The problem of dehydration among the elderly is well documented. Yet interventions to addresses this problem cannot be adequately tested until non-invasive approaches to measure hydration status among the elderly are established. The aims of this study are:

Aim 1. Identify the validity of the non-invasive hydration measures (bio-impedance analysis (BIA), urine color and urine specific gravity) using serum osmolality as the gold standard.

Aim 2. Explore subject characteristics that compromise the validity of the non-invasive hydration measures as a measure for hydration reflective of serum osmolality.

A methodological design will be used to address the aims of the study. Thirty subjects from each of two settings, a nursing home and a medical psychiatric inpatient unit. Multi-frequency BIA measurements will be obtained from all subjects. Serum osmolality, urine specific gravity and urine color will be obtained from the electronic laboratory records for the hospitalized group. A blood draw and urine sample will be obtained from the nursing home group participants for determination of serum osmolality, urine specific gravity and urine color. The diagnostic validity of the findings from non-invasive hydration measures (BIA, urine SG and color) will be determined by associating the results of each with serum osmolality (gold standard).

The co-investigators of this proposal have each established hydration among the elderly as a focus of their programs of research. The opportunity to collaborate in this research study will facilitate the establishment of methods to addresses the problem of dehydration among the elderly