Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to use a volume kinetic model to compare oral versus intravenous fluid administration of glucose solutions in young and elderly healthy volunteers. We investigated differences in the absorption, distribution and elimination of the administered fluid. Methods: The study had a randomized, crossover design and all experiments were performed when subjects had been fasting overnight indicating a state of dehydration. Twenty-four healthy volunteers received an isotonic 2.5% glucose solution, 7 ml/kg during 15 minutes, both orally and intravenously at separate occasions. Repetitive blood tests over 120 minutes showed changes in body fluid volumes using volume kinetic principles. Results: There were significant different lag times of absorption between oral and intravenous administration of fluid. In the young, a plasma volume decrease was shown in the beginning of the oral rehydration experiments but they retained fluid at the end of the experiment. The elderly had a consistent slow elimination of glucose and retained water after oral rehydration. The two administration routes showed different patterns for the elderly’s fluid volume expansion with steeper slopes for intravenous rehydration.

Highlights

  • The aim of this study was to use a volume kinetic model to compare oral versus intravenous fluid administration of glucose solutions in young and elderly healthy volunteers

  • Subjects have a tendency to drink too little during daytime. This fact in combination with slight hypoaldosteronism, a reduced sensation of thirst, an impaired ability to concentrate urine and, in many cases, forgetfulness to drink can lead to significant dehydration and a cumbersome situation for both patients and caregivers

  • Health in the very old age group is always a relative concept, so we accepted the diagnoses hypertension and hypothyroidism while cardiac diseases had to be restricted to New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I-II

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Summary

Objectives

The aim of this study was to use a volume kinetic model to compare oral versus intravenous fluid administration of glucose solutions in young and elderly healthy volunteers. The aim of this study was to compare two fluid administration routes, oral and intravenous administration, between a young and an elderly group of healthy volunteers

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