TY - JOUR
T1 - Diagnosing dehydration in the nursing home
T2 - international consensus based on a modified Delphi study
AU - Paulis, Simone J. C.
AU - Everink, Irma H. J.
AU - Halfens, Ruud J. G.
AU - Lohrmann, Christa
AU - Wirnsberger, Regina Roller
AU - Gordon, Adam L.
AU - Schols, Jos M. G. A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, © 2020, The Author(s).
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - Key summary pointsAim To assess which method (or combination of methods) are relevant and feasible to diagnose dehydration in nursing home residents. Findings International experts agreed on the relevance and feasibility of 9 anamnestic items, 8 physical symptoms and 3 blood tests to diagnose dehydration. This resulted in a diagnostic strategy consisting of a suspicion phase (including anamnestic items and physical symptoms) and a confirmation phase (including blood tests). Message This is the first study reaching international consensus about a strategy to diagnose dehydration in the nursing home.Purpose Even though dehydration is a big problem among nursing home residents, a universally agreed method to diagnose dehydration among nursing home residents is missing. Therefore, this study aimed to establish consensus on a method to diagnose dehydration in this population. Methods Using an international Delphi study, 53 experts (physicians and advanced nurse practitioners) were asked to judge various methods to diagnose dehydration on relevance and feasibility in the nursing home. Based on the methods that gained consensus in the first and second round (>= 75% consensus), a step-by-step diagnostic strategy was developed which was presented to, and judged by, the experts in round three. Results After the first and second round, consensus was reached on nine anamnestic items, eight physical symptoms and three blood tests. In the third round, 24 experts agreed with the developed step-by-step diagnostic strategy as a standard to diagnose dehydration in nursing home residents. Conclusion This is the first study reaching international consensus on a strategy to diagnose dehydration in the nursing home. This strategy comprehends a presumption phase, where anamnestic items and physical symptoms are examined, followed by a confirmation phase with blood tests to confirm the diagnosis of dehydration. Using this strategy, it is important to take the individual characteristics (e.g. co-morbidity) of the resident and its care environment (e.g. ambient temperature) into account.
AB - Key summary pointsAim To assess which method (or combination of methods) are relevant and feasible to diagnose dehydration in nursing home residents. Findings International experts agreed on the relevance and feasibility of 9 anamnestic items, 8 physical symptoms and 3 blood tests to diagnose dehydration. This resulted in a diagnostic strategy consisting of a suspicion phase (including anamnestic items and physical symptoms) and a confirmation phase (including blood tests). Message This is the first study reaching international consensus about a strategy to diagnose dehydration in the nursing home.Purpose Even though dehydration is a big problem among nursing home residents, a universally agreed method to diagnose dehydration among nursing home residents is missing. Therefore, this study aimed to establish consensus on a method to diagnose dehydration in this population. Methods Using an international Delphi study, 53 experts (physicians and advanced nurse practitioners) were asked to judge various methods to diagnose dehydration on relevance and feasibility in the nursing home. Based on the methods that gained consensus in the first and second round (>= 75% consensus), a step-by-step diagnostic strategy was developed which was presented to, and judged by, the experts in round three. Results After the first and second round, consensus was reached on nine anamnestic items, eight physical symptoms and three blood tests. In the third round, 24 experts agreed with the developed step-by-step diagnostic strategy as a standard to diagnose dehydration in nursing home residents. Conclusion This is the first study reaching international consensus on a strategy to diagnose dehydration in the nursing home. This strategy comprehends a presumption phase, where anamnestic items and physical symptoms are examined, followed by a confirmation phase with blood tests to confirm the diagnosis of dehydration. Using this strategy, it is important to take the individual characteristics (e.g. co-morbidity) of the resident and its care environment (e.g. ambient temperature) into account.
KW - Expert opinion
KW - Diagnostic strategy
KW - Anamnesis
KW - Physical symptoms
KW - Blood tests
KW - RESIDENTS
KW - ACCURACY
KW - CARE
U2 - 10.1007/s41999-020-00304-3
DO - 10.1007/s41999-020-00304-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 32297264
SN - 1878-7649
VL - 11
SP - 393
EP - 402
JO - European Geriatric Medicine
JF - European Geriatric Medicine
IS - 3
ER -