Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33636649›Full record

SynthesisArchives of gerontology and geriatrics

Dehydration in older people: A systematic review of the effects of dehydration on health outcomes, healthcare costs and cognitive performance.

Caroline J Edmonds, Enrico Foglia, Paula Booth, Cynthia H Y Fu, Mark Gardner

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 37 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
37citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
6.1field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

37 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 82 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Observational
  8. Article
  9. Observational
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Nutrition Focused Physical Examination Components Specific to Older Adults: A Modified Delphi Study.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025
    Article
  16. Review
  17. Hydrate to keep the amyloid away.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2025
    Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Caroline J EdmondsSchool of Psychology, University of East London, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, UK. Electronic address: c.edmonds@uel.ac.uk.
Enrico FogliaSchool of Psychology, University of East London, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, UK.
Paula BoothSchool of Psychology, University of East London, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, UK.
Cynthia H Y FuSchool of Psychology, University of East London, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, UK; Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
Mark GardnerDepartment of Psychology, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW, UK.
University of East London · GBUniversity of Westminster · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo systematically examine the effect of dehydration on health outcomes, identify associated financial costs and consider impacts on cognitive performance in older adults.

designA systematic review of English-language articles via OVID using MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMBASE, and others, to March 2018. Included studies examined the relationship between hydration status and health, care costs or cognitive outcome.

settingCross sectional and cohort data from studies reporting on dehydration in older adults.

participantsAdults aged 60 years and older. MEASUREMENTS: Independent quality ratings were assessed for all extracted articles.

resultsOf 1684 articles screened, 18 papers (N = 33,707) met inclusion criteria. Participants were recruited from hospital settings, medical long-term care centres and the community dwelling population. Data were synthesised using a narrative summary. Mortality rates were higher in dehydrated patients. Furthermore, health outcomes, including frailty, bradyarrhythmia, transient ischemic attacks, oral health and surgery recovery are linked to and worsened by dehydration. Length of hospital stay, either as a principal or secondary diagnosis, is greater in those with dehydration, compared to those who are euhydrated. Finally, neurocognitive functioning may be impacted by dehydration. There are issues with study design, inconsistency in hydration status measurement and different measures used for outcome assessment.

conclusionDehydration in older people is associated with increased mortality, poorer course of illness and increased costs for health services. In addition, there is some, but sparse evidence that dehydration in older people is linked to poorer cognitive performance. Intervention studies should test strategies for reducing dehydration in older adults.

Indexed as

DehydrationHealth Care CostsAgedCognitionCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMiddle AgedOutcome Assessment, Health CareCognitive PerformanceDehydrationHealthcareOlder adults

Identifiers

PMID33636649
OpenAlexW3132123757

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.