Thirst intensity survey in ADPKD patients.

INTRODUCTION: With increased fluid intake and tolvaptan treatment, the growth rate of cysts can be theoretically decelerated in autosomal polycystic kidney disease. In this prospective study, it was planned to evaluate thirst sensation in these patients and the parameters affecting its intensity. METHODS: Forty-one ADPKD patients on tolvaptan and 40 ADPKD patients not on tolvaptan as the control group were evaluated for thirst distress sensation and intensity. The feeling of thirst and the discomfort caused by excessive fluid intake was assessed with Thirst Distress Scale-HF 12 questions (60/12). Thirst intensity was evaluated with a 100 mm visual scale. RESULTS: Of the whole group, 35.8% (29) were males, and 64.2% (52) were females. The mean age of the tolvaptan group was 39.17 ± 9.35 years and for the control group, it was 41.95 ± 12.29 years. There was a negative correlation between the thirst distress score of the patients and an increase in creatinine level after a year of tolvaptan treatment (r = - 0.335, p = 0.035). The patients not taking thiazide had higher thirst intensity scores (p = 0.004). There was no impact of tolvaptan dosage, total kidney volume, serum sodium, urinary osmolarity or eGFR on thirst distress and thirst intensity scores. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Only thiazide co-treatment had a positive impact on thirst distress and intensity when given tolvaptan. Thirst Distress Scale for ADPKD patients can be used to classify patients before and during tolvaptan treatment.

What frail, older patients talk about when they talk about self-care-a qualitative study in heart failure care.

BACKGROUND: Self-care plays a crucial role in the management of heart failure (HF) and is especially important for older patients who are frail. However, there is limited knowledge about how frail, older patients with HF perceive and experience self-care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the experiences of self-care among frail, older patients with HF. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design with semi-structured interviews with frail, older patients diagnosed with HF (n = 19; median age 82 years). Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke, was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Two main themes emerged from the analysis: 1) "To maintain my health," encompassing various aspects such as hygiene practices, engaging in physical activity, medication adherence, following a healthy diet, and ensuring adequate rest; and 2) "To maintain my well-being and happiness," highlighting the importance of hobbies, maintaining independence, participating in social activities, and creating a supportive environment. CONCLUSION: This study provides valuable insights into the perspectives of frail, older patients with HF regarding self-care. It was observed that older patients often associate self-care with general well-being, hygiene, and happiness. Clear communication between healthcare providers and patients is essential to align different perspectives on self-care and ensure that self-care plans are tailored to individual needs. Moreover, addressing the emotional well-being and happiness of patients should be prioritized, as these factors play a significant role in promoting self-care adherence.

The responsibility to quench thirst by providing drinks when a relative is dying spouses' experience in specialist palliative home care.

BACKGROUND: Thirst and dry mouth are common symptoms in terminally ill patients. It is known that family members usually request drips for their dying relative. Few studies have focused on thirst in terminally ill patients and their spouses' experience of this, leading to a knowledge gap in this area. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore spouses' experiences of observing and managing thirst in a dying relative admitted to specialist palliative home care. METHODS: A qualitative interview study with an inductive approach was conducted. Eighteen spouses caring for their husband or wife admitted to specialist palliative home care in different hospitals in Sweden were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed with a reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged regarding spouses' experiences of patients' thirst: Knowledge and views of thirst; Control of fluid intake provides vital information; and Taking charge of their drinking is a life and death responsibility. CONCLUSIONS: Spouses experience a responsibility to serve the dying person with fluids so that they will not get thirsty. It is so obvious and commonplace to them. To be able to fulfil this responsibility, they need to keep track of the patient's fluid intake and know what quenches thirst. There is a need for research in this area to assist carers and patients in identifying which drinks best quench the patient's thirst. Interventions are also needed to help provide/make available knowledge on suitable thirst-quenching drinks.

Ethical challenges around thirst in end-of-life care -experiences of palliative care physicians.

BACKGROUND: Thirst and dry mouth are common symptoms in terminally ill patients. In their day-to-day practice, palliative care physicians regularly encounter ethical dilemmas, especially regarding artificial hydration. Few studies have focused on thirst and the ethical dilemmas palliative care physicians encounter in relation to this, leading to a knowledge gap in this area. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore palliative care physicians' experiences of ethical challenges in relation to thirst in terminally ill patients. METHODS: A qualitative interview study with an inductive approach was conducted. Sixteen physicians working in four different specialised palliative care units and one geriatric care unit in different hospitals in Sweden were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed with a reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: When presented with an ethical challenge relating to thirst, physicians attempted to balance benefits and harms while emphasizing respect for the patient's autonomy. The ethical challenges in this study were: Starting, continuing or discontinuing drips; lack of evidence and traditions create doubt; and lack of interest and time may result in patient suffering. CONCLUSIONS: All physicians in this study reported that "Starting, continuing or discontinuing drips" was the main ethical challenge they encountered, where some were so accustomed to the decision that they had a standard answer ready to offer patients and families. Physicians reported that drips were a symbol of thirst quenching, life and survival but were not necessary in end-of-life care. Others questioned the traditions regarding thirst and emphasised drips in particular.

Assistant nurses' experiences of thirst and ethical dilemmas in dying patients in specialized palliative care-A qualitative study.

AIMS: To describe assistant nurses' experiences of thirst and ethical challenges in relation to thirst in terminally ill patients in specialized palliative care (PC) units. DESIGN: A qualitative, reflexive thematic design with an inductive analysis was used. METHODS: Data were collected during November 2021-January 2023. Twelve qualitative interviews with assistant nurses working in five different specialized PC units in different hospitals in Sweden were conducted. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed with a reflexive thematic analysis. The study was guided by the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). RESULTS: Two main themes were found in this study. (1) 'A world of practice for thirst relief' where assistant nurses present a task-oriented world where the knowledge of thirst is an experience-based unspoken knowledge where mainly routines rule. (2) Ethical challenges presents different ethical problems that they meet in their practice, such as when patients express thirst towards the end of their life but are too severely ill to drink or when they watch lack of knowledge in the area among other health professionals. CONCLUSION: Thirst in dying patients is a neglected area that assistant nurses work with, without communicating it. Their knowledge of thirst and thirst relief are not expressed, seldom discussed, there are no policy documents nor is thirst documented in the patient's record. There is a need for nurses to take the lead in changing nursing practice regarding thirst. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution. IMPACT: In palliative care, previous studies have shown that dying patients might be thirsty. Assistant nurses recognize thirst in dying patients, but thirst is not discussed in the team. Nurses must consider the patient's fundamental care needs and address thirst, for example in the nursing process to ensure patients quality of life in the last days of life. REPORTING METHOD: The study was guided by the SRQR. WHAT DOES THIS ARTICLE CONTRIBUTE TO THE WIDER GLOBAL CLINICAL COMMUNITY?: Thirst is a distressing symptom for all humans. However, when a patient is dying, he or she loses several functions and can no longer drink independently. The knowledge from this article contributes to our understanding of current practice and shows an area that requires immediate attention for the improvement of fundamental palliative care delivery.

Translation and Psychometric Evaluation of the German Version of the Thirst Distress Scale for Patients With Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: In patients with chronic heart failure, thirst can be perceived as an intensive and burdensome symptom, which may have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. To initiate thirst-relieving interventions, assessment of thirst and its related distress is essential. At the time of this study, no instrument was available to evaluate thirst distress in patients with heart failure in Germany. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to translate the "Thirst Distress Scale for patients with Heart Failure" (TDS-HF) from English into German and to test validity and reliability of the scale. METHODS: The English version of the TDS-HF was translated into German. A linguistically and culturally sensitive forward-and-backward translation was performed. Psychometric evaluation included confirmatory factor analysis, reliability in terms of internal consistency, and concurrent validity. RESULTS: Eighty-four hospitalized patients (mean age, 72 ± 10 years; 29% female; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 36% ± 12%; 62% New York Heart Association functional classes III-IV, 45% on fluid restriction) from an acute care hospital were involved in the study. The item-total correlation ranged from 0.58 to 0.78. Interitem correlations varied between 0.37 and 0.79. Internal consistency was high, with a Cronbach α of 0.89. There was a high correlation between the total score of the TDS-HF and the visual analog scale to assess thirst intensity ( r = 0.72, P ≤ .001), and a low correlation with fluid restriction ( r = 0.35, P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of the German TDS-HF showed satisfactory psychometric properties in this sample. The instrument is usable for further research and additional psychometric testing.

Symptom management strategies used by older community-dwelling people with multimorbidity and a high symptom burden - a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Older community-dwelling people with multimorbidity are often not only vulnerable, but also suffer from several conditions that could produce a multiplicity of symptoms. This results in a high symptom burden and a reduced health-related quality of life. Even though these individuals often have frequent contact with healthcare providers they are expected to manage both appropriate disease control and symptoms by themselves or with the support of caregivers. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the symptom management strategies used by older community-dwelling people with multimorbidity and a high symptom burden. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design using face-to-face interviews with 20 community-dwelling older people with multimorbidity, a high healthcare consumption and a high symptom burden. People ≥75 years, who had been hospitalized ≥3 times during the previous year, ≥ 3 diagnoses in their medical records and lived at home were included. The participants were between 79 and 89 years old. Data were analysed using content analyses. RESULT: Two main strategy categories were found: active symptom management and passive symptom management. The active strategies include the subcategories; to plan, to distract, to get assistance and to use facilitating techniques. An active strategy meant that participants took matters in their own hands, they could often describe the source of the symptoms and they felt that they had the power to do something to ease their symptoms. A passive symptom management strategy includes the subcategories to give in and to endure. These subcategories often reflected an inability to describe the source of the symptoms as well as the experience of having no alternative other than passively waiting it out. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that older people with multimorbidity and a high symptom burden employ various symptom management strategies on daily basis. They had adopted appropriate strategies based on their own experience and knowledge. Healthcare professionals might facilitate daily life for older people with multimorbidity by providing guidance on active management strategies with focus on patient's own experience and preferences.

Thirst in Patients With Heart Failure in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Japan.

BACKGROUND: Thirst is a distressing symptom and influences quality of life of patients with heart failure (HF). Knowledge about thirst in HF is insufficient; therefore, the aim of this study was to describe factors related to thirst, self-reported reasons for thirst, and interventions to relieve thirst in 3 different countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Japan. Patients were recruited at the HF clinic or during HF hospitalization. Thirst was assessed by a visual analog scale (0-100); reasons for thirst and interventions to relieve thirst were assessed by an open-ended questionnaire. Patients were divided into low and high thirst based on the first and third tertiles of the visual analog scale. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-nine patients participated in the study (age, 72 ± 12 years). Mean thirst intensity was 24 ± 24, with a mean thirst of 53 ± 15 in the highest tertile. No significant differences in thirst among the 3 countries were found. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that a higher dose of loop diuretics (odds ratio, 3.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.49-8.06) and fluid restriction (odds ratio, 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-4.32) were related to thirst. The most reported reasons for thirst were salty/spicy food (20%) and low fluid intake (18%). Most of the patients (56%) drank more in case of thirst; 20% only drank a little bit, probably related to a fluid restriction. CONCLUSIONS: Thirst in patients with HF was related to a higher dose of loop diuretics and fluid restriction. Healthcare providers should realize that it is important to assess thirst regularly and reconsider the need of a fluid restriction and the amount of loop diuretics in case of thirst.

Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Patient's Experiences of Health Care in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Outpatient Clinics.

BACKGROUND: Measuring the patients' experience of care at an outpatient clinic can provide feedback about the quality of health care and if needed, can be support for quality improvements. To date, there is no patient reported experience measurement (PREM) developed targeting patients at the pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) outpatient clinics. Therefore, the aim was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a PREM scale to be used for patients at PAH-outpatient clinics. METHODS: The development and psychometric evaluation of the PREM for patients at PAH outpatient clinics followed two stages: (I) development of the PAH Clinic PREM (PAHC-PREM) scale based on interviews with patients; and (II) psychometric evaluation of the PAHC-PREM scale including data quality, factor structure (construct validity), criterion validity and internal consistency. RESULTS: A sample of 156 patients at PAH outpatient clinics completed the PAHC-PREM scale (median age 69 years, 57% women). Unidimensionality of the PAHC-PREM scale was supported by parallel analysis. A single factor explained 67% of the variance. Inter-item and item-total correlations were satisfactory (0.46-0.88 and 0.64-0.91, respectively). Internal consistency reliability with ordinal coefficient alpha was good (0.93). CONCLUSIONS: The PAHC-PREM scale was demonstrated to have good psychometric properties and is now ready to be used to measure quality of health care experience from patients at PAH-outpatient clinics.

Urine measurement indicates the plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration during optimization of heart failure treatment.

AIM: To assess the correlation between the amino-terminal pro-hormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration in blood and urine during a period when actively adjusting the treatment of heart failure (HF). METHODS: Plasma and urine analyses of NT-proBNP were compared in 51 patients on admission to and discharge from a nurse-led outpatient clinic where HF treatment was optimized. The median time between the two measurements was 42 days. Correlations were analyzed using linear regression, where R(2) is the degree of variability in the plasma NT-proBNP concentration that can be accounted for by the urinary NT-proBNP. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant linear relationship between the urine and plasma concentrations of NT-proBNP on both occasions, but R(2) varied greatly depending on how the data were presented. The correlation between the raw data showed an R(2) of only 30%, and it almost doubled upon logarithm transformation, which shows that the variability (error) was concentration-dependent. Correction of the urinary NT-proBNP for urinary creatinine further increased R(2) for the logarithm-transformed correlation to 68% on admission and 76% on discharge. The highest R(2) (77%) was obtained when the relative changes in urinary NT-proBNP/creatinine between admission and discharge were compared with the corresponding relative changes in the plasma concentration. The sensitivity and specificity of the urine in indicating plasma concentration changes > 10% were 82% and 86%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Relative changes in plasma NT-proBNP could be reliably estimated from urine samples during a period of optimization of HF treatment.

Changes in Thirst Intensity During Optimization of Heart Failure Medical Therapy by Nurses at the Outpatient Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Thirst can be aggravated in patients with heart failure (HF), and optimization of HF medication can have positive impact on thirst. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to describe changes in thirst intensity and to determine factors associated with high thirst intensity during optimization of HF medication. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with HF (N = 66) who were referred to an HF clinic for up-titration of HF medication were included. Data were collected during the first visit to the clinic and at the end of the treatment program. Data were dichotomized by the median visual analog scale score for thirst, dividing patients into 2 groups: low thirst intensity (0-20 mm) and high thirst intensity (>20 mm on a visual analog scale of 0-100 mm). In total, 67% of the patients reported a higher thirst intensity after the HF up-titration program. There was no difference in thirst intensity between the patients who reached target doses and those who did not. Plasma urea level (odds ratio, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.65) and fluid restriction (odds ratio, 6.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.90-20.5) were independently associated with high thirst intensity in patients with HF. CONCLUSIONS: Thirst intensity increased in two-thirds of the patients during a time period of optimization of HF medication. Fluid restriction and plasma urea levels were associated with high thirst intensity.

Clinical symptoms, signs and tests for identification of impending and current water-loss dehydration in older people.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that water-loss dehydration is common in older people and associated with many causes of morbidity and mortality. However, it is unclear what clinical symptoms, signs and tests may be used to identify early dehydration in older people, so that support can be mobilised to improve hydration before health and well-being are compromised. OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of state (one time), minimally invasive clinical symptoms, signs and tests to be used as screening tests for detecting water-loss dehydration in older people by systematically reviewing studies that have measured a reference standard and at least one index test in people aged 65 years and over. Water-loss dehydration was defined primarily as including everyone with either impending or current water-loss dehydration (including all those with serum osmolality ≥ 295 mOsm/kg as being dehydrated). SEARCH METHODS: Structured search strategies were developed for MEDLINE (OvidSP), EMBASE (OvidSP), CINAHL, LILACS, DARE and HTA databases (The Cochrane Library), and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). Reference lists of included studies and identified relevant reviews were checked. Authors of included studies were contacted for details of further studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Titles and abstracts were scanned and all potentially relevant studies obtained in full text. Inclusion of full text studies was assessed independently in duplicate, and disagreements resolved by a third author. We wrote to authors of all studies that appeared to have collected data on at least one reference standard and at least one index test, and in at least 10 people aged ≥ 65 years, even where no comparative analysis has been published, requesting original dataset so we could create 2 x 2 tables. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Diagnostic accuracy of each test was assessed against the best available reference standard for water-loss dehydration (serum or plasma osmolality cut-off ≥ 295 mOsm/kg, serum osmolarity or weight change) within each study. For each index test study data were presented in forest plots of sensitivity and specificity. The primary target condition was water-loss dehydration (including either impending or current water-loss dehydration). Secondary target conditions were intended as current (> 300 mOsm/kg) and impending (295 to 300 mOsm/kg) water-loss dehydration, but restricted to current dehydration in the final review.We conducted bivariate random-effects meta-analyses (Stata/IC, StataCorp) for index tests where there were at least four studies and study datasets could be pooled to construct sensitivity and specificity summary estimates. We assigned the same approach for index tests with continuous outcome data for each of three pre-specified cut-off points investigated.Pre-set minimum sensitivity of a useful test was 60%, minimum specificity 75%. As pre-specifying three cut-offs for each continuous test may have led to missing a cut-off with useful sensitivity and specificity, we conducted post-hoc exploratory analyses to create receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves where there appeared some possibility of a useful cut-off missed by the original three. These analyses enabled assessment of which tests may be worth assessing in further research. A further exploratory analysis assessed the value of combining the best two index tests where each had some individual predictive ability. MAIN RESULTS: There were few published studies of the diagnostic accuracy of state (one time), minimally invasive clinical symptoms, signs or tests to be used as screening tests for detecting water-loss dehydration in older people. Therefore, to complete this review we sought, analysed and included raw datasets that included a reference standard and an index test in people aged ≥ 65 years.We included three studies with published diagnostic accuracy data and a further 21 studies provided datasets that we analysed. We assessed 67 tests (at three cut-offs for each continuous outcome) for diagnostic accuracy of water-loss dehydration (primary target condition) and of current dehydration (secondary target condition).Only three tests showed any ability to diagnose water-loss dehydration (including both impending and current water-loss dehydration) as stand-alone tests: expressing fatigue (sensitivity 0.71 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.96), specificity 0.75 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.85), in one study with 71 participants, but two additional studies had lower sensitivity); missing drinks between meals (sensitivity 1.00 (95% CI 0.59 to 1.00), specificity 0.77 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.86), in one study with 71 participants) and BIA resistance at 50 kHz (sensitivities 1.00 (95% CI 0.48 to 1.00) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.90) and specificities of 1.00 (95% CI 0.69 to 1.00) and 0.80 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.99) in 15 and 22 people respectively for two studies, but with sensitivities of 0.54 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.81) and 0.69 (95% CI 0.56 to 0.79) and specificities of 0.50 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.84) and 0.19 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.21) in 21 and 1947 people respectively in two other studies). In post-hoc ROC plots drinks intake, urine osmolality and axillial moisture also showed limited diagnostic accuracy. No test was consistently useful in more than one study.Combining two tests so that an individual both missed some drinks between meals and expressed fatigue was sensitive at 0.71 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.96) and specific at 0.92 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.97).There was sufficient evidence to suggest that several stand-alone tests often used to assess dehydration in older people (including fluid intake, urine specific gravity, urine colour, urine volume, heart rate, dry mouth, feeling thirsty and BIA assessment of intracellular water or extracellular water) are not useful, and should not be relied on individually as ways of assessing presence or absence of dehydration in older people.No tests were found consistently useful in diagnosing current water-loss dehydration. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is limited evidence of the diagnostic utility of any individual clinical symptom, sign or test or combination of tests to indicate water-loss dehydration in older people. Individual tests should not be used in this population to indicate dehydration; they miss a high proportion of people with dehydration, and wrongly label those who are adequately hydrated.Promising tests identified by this review need to be further assessed, as do new methods in development. Combining several tests may improve diagnostic accuracy.

Fluid retention index predicts the 30-day mortality in geriatric care.

The incidence and medical consequences of dehydration and fluid retention in senior citizens are unclear. The present study used urine sampling to detect renal conservation of water, which is an early sign of dehydration, and assessed its relationship to mortality in elderly patients admitted for acute hospital care. A urine sample was collected from 256 patients (mean age 82 years) and analyzed for color, specific gravity and osmolality. These markers were used to calculate a composite index of fluid retention, which was indicated by urine color ≥ 4, specific gravity ≥ 1.020 and osmolality ≥ 600 mOsmol/kg as suggested from eight previous studies of exercise-induced dehydration, of which one extends to age 69. Concentrated urine consistent with dehydration was present in 39 (16%) of the patients. This finding was relatively more common among those with confusion and/or dementia, but less common in patients with medical disease, and in those taking diuretics daily. Patients with such fluid retention had a higher 30-day mortality when compared to those who were euhydrated (21% versus 8%; p < 0.03). A difference of 10% remained at three months and one year after the admission to hospital. Concentrated urine consistent with fluid retention was found in 16% of the geriatric patients admitted to hospital for acute care. In these patients the mortality within 30 days was almost tripled compared to those who were euhydrated.

Thirst trajectory and factors associated with persistent thirst in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Thirst is often increased in patients with heart failure (HF) and can cause distress during the course of the condition. The aim of the present study was to describe the trajectory of thirst during an 18-month period and to identify variables associated with persistent thirst in patients with HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were collected from 649 patients with HF with the use of the Revised Heart Failure Compliance Scale at 1, 6, 12, and 18 months after a period of hospital treatment for worsening HF. Thirst trajectory was described for the 4 follow-up visits and logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with persistent thirst. In total, 33% (n = 212) of the patients reported thirst on ≥1 occasions and 34% (n = 46) continued to have thirst at every follow-up visit. Nineteen percent (n = 121) of the patients had persistent thirst. Patients with persistent thirst were more often younger and male and had more HF symptoms. Higher body mass index and serum urea also increased the risk of persistent thirst. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HF who were thirsty at the 1-month follow-up were more often also thirsty at subsequent visits. Assessment of thirst is warranted in clinical practice because one-fifth of patients suffer from persistent thirst.

Non-pharmacological interventions to reduce thirst in patients with heart failure or hemodialysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Thirst is a frequent and burdening symptom in many patients, especially in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and/or receiving hemodialysis (HD). As drug therapies are not feasible, non-pharmacological strategies are needed to reduce thirst and thirst-related burden. OBJECTIVES: To identify non-pharmacological interventions aiming to reduce thirst in patients with CHF and/ or HD, to describe intervention components, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. METHODS: In February 2024, we completed a systematic search in MEDLINE via PubMed, Livivo, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts, performed critical appraisal and data extraction. We checked risk of bias with the checklists of the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and calculated meta-analyses for sufficiently homogeneous studies using fixed-effects models. RESULTS: We included 15 intervention studies applying non-pharmacological interventions including chewing gum (n = 8), low-sodium diet (n = 2), acupressure (n = 1), frozen strawberries (n = 1), fluid timetables (n = 1), ice cubes and mouthwash (n = 1), and a psychological intervention (n = 1). Sample sizes varied between 11 and 88 participants. Eleven intervention studies showed a reduction of thirst as intervention effect. Meta-analyses for chewing gum showed no significant effect on thirst using a visual analogue scale (IV: -2,32 [-10.37,5.73]; p = 0.57) or the dialysis thirst inventory (IV: -0.26 [- 1.83, 1.30]; p = 0.74). Quality of studies was moderate to low. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that various non-pharmacological interventions could be helpful to reduce thirst in patients with CHF or HD, but important uncertainty remains.

An aggregate urine analysis tool to detect acute dehydration.

PURPOSE: Urine sampling has previously been evaluated for detecting dehydration in young male athletes. The present study investigated whether urine analysis can serve as a measure of dehydration in men and women of a wide age span. METHODS: Urine sampling and body weight measurement were undertaken before and after recreational physical exercise (median time: 90 min) in 57 volunteers age 17-69 years (mean age: 42). Urine analysis included urine color, osmolality, specific gravity, and creatinine. RESULTS: The volunteers' body weight decreased 1.1% (mean) while they exercised. There were strong correlations between all 4 urinary markers of dehydration (r = .73-.84, p < .001). Researchers constructed a composite dehydration index graded from 1 to 6 based on these markers. This index changed from 2.70 before exercising to 3.55 after exercising, which corresponded to dehydration of 1.0% as given by a preliminary reference curve based on seven previous studies in athletes. Men were slightly dehydrated at baseline (mean: 1.9%) compared with women (mean: 0.7%; p < .001), though age had no influence on the results. A final reference curve that considered both the present results and the 7 previous studies was constructed in which exercise-induced weight loss (x) was predicted by the exponential equation x = 0.20 dehydration index1.86. CONCLUSION: Urine sampling can be used to estimate weight loss due to dehydration in adults up to age 70. A robust dehydration index based on four indicators reduces the influence of confounders.

Nurses' perceptions of patient involvement in shared decision-making in cardiovascular care.

It is important for nurses to involve patients in their own care to enable shared decision-making. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of nurses regarding the degree to which involvement in shared decision-making takes place in clinical settings during consultations. Previous studies have shown that the use of shared decision-making by healthcare professionals can improve their caring practices and the quality of life of their patients. However, studies have also shown little evidence of the existence of shared decision-making in clinical practice. One step forward can be to clarify nurses' perceptions of patient involvement in shared decision-making. Qualitative data were collected from 10 nurses at four Swedish hospitals using a semi-structured, open-ended interview guide. The data were analyzed using inductive latent content analysis. The results showed that the care practices described by the nurses in the study are clearly different from the healthcare policy and scientific vision of shared decision-making. The nurses in the study believe that, with some exceptions, both healthcare professionals and patients prefer to leave decision-making to medical experts. In order to take advantage of the existing potential for improvement of shared decision-making in cardiologic care, healthcare professionals must be given time to seriously listen to and develop an interest in their patients' lifeworlds. Furthermore, the implementation of shared decision-making requires a mutual initiative and development of knowledge about the decision-making process from healthcare professionals and patients.

Thirst or dry mouth in dying patients?-A qualitative study of palliative care physicians' experiences.

INTRODUCTION: Thirst and dry mouth are common symptoms among patients at the end of life. In palliative care today, there is a focus on mouth care to alleviate thirst. There are no qualitative studies on thirst from a physician's experience, which is why this study is needed. PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore palliative care physicians' experiences and views of thirst in patients at the end of life. METHODS: A qualitative interview study with an inductive approach was carried out. Sixteen physicians working in specialised palliative care units in Sweden were included. The interviews were analysed with a reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in three basic assumptions regarding thirst: It is dry mouth, not thirst; patients are dry in their mouth and thirsty; and, I do not know if they are thirsty. Further, four different themes regarding how to relieve thirst appeared: drips will not help thirst but cause harm; the body takes care of thirst itself; drips might help thirst; and, mouth care to relieve thirst or dry mouth. CONCLUSIONS: The palliative care physicians had different experiences regarding thirst, from thirst never arising, to a lack of awareness. They thought good mouth care worked well to alleviate the feeling of thirst and dry mouth. Most physicians did not want to give patients drips, while some did. This study indicates that there are many unanswered questions when it comes to thirst at end-of-life and that further research is needed.

An Aggregate Urine Analysis Tool to Detect Acute Dehydration.

PURPOSE: Urine sampling has previously been evaluated for detecting dehydration in young male athletes. The present study investigated whether urine analysis can serve as a measure of dehydration in men and women of a wide age span. METHODS: Urine sampling and body weight measurement were undertaken before and after recreational physical exercise (median time: 90 minutes) in 57 volunteers aged between 17 and 69 years (mean age: 42). Urine analysis included urine color, osmolality, specific gravity, and creatinine. RESULTS: The volunteers' body weight decreased 1.1% (mean) while they exercised. There were strong correlations between all four urinary markers of dehydration (r = 0.73 to 0.84, P < 0.001). Researchers constructed a composite dehydration index graded from 1 to 6 based on these markers. This index changed from 2.70 before exercising to 3.55 after exercising, which corresponded to dehydration of 1.0% as given by a preliminary reference curve based on seven previous studies in athletes. Men were slightly dehydrated at baseline (mean: 1.9%) compared to women (mean: 0.7%; P < 0.001), while age had no influence on the results. A final reference curve that considered both the present results and the seven previous studies was constructed in which exercise-induced weight loss (x) was predicted by the exponential equation x= 0.20 dehydration index. CONCLUSION: Urine sampling can be used to estimate weight loss due to dehydration in adults up to the age of 70 years. A robust dehydration index based on four indicators reduces the influence of confounders.