Abstract
Purpose: The safety and efficacy of a long-term oral rehydration therapy (ORT), using an oral rehydration solution, was investigated in the elderly subjects without dehydration.
Methods: The elderly subjects at geriatric nursing homes and those who had not dehydration were studied. The study was designed as a multicenter randomized controlled investigation, consisting of two groups, a non-intervention control group that did not receive ORT (41 subjects as CN group) and an intervention group that received ORT (41 subjects as OS group). The intervention group, OS group, consumed 500 to 1000 mL of an oral rehydration solution daily for 30 days.
Results: No abnormal findings were observed in vital signs and blood chemistry outcomes, and complications and influences on diet consumption were not observed in the OS group, confirming the safety of the ORT therapy in the elderly. With regard to the efficacy, an increase in fractional excretion ratio of sodium, a decrease in BUN/Cr ratio, and a decrease in plasma osmolality were observed to show the effect of increasing the amount of water in the body.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed the safety of a long-term daily use of ORT in the elderly persons who do not have dehydration condition and also suggested its effectiveness in the prevention of dehydration.
