Do initially non-dehydrated patients with acute ischemic stroke need fluid supplement?

Background: We previously found that dehydration is an independent predictor of early deterioration after acute ischemic stroke and rehydration helps to improve outcomes. There is limited evidence of how to treat patients who are initially non-dehydrated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that rehydration therapy, based on the daily urine specific gravity, will improve the outcome of ischemic stroke patients who are initially non-dehydrated. Methods: We conducted a single-arm prospective study of patients with acute ischemic stroke with historical controls. For the first 5 days of study group, a daily urine specific gravity of > 1.020 g/ml was taken as indication for rehydration and patients were advised to drink water via oral or tubal feeding with a dose of 5 ml/kg body weight right away and after dinner. Control group patients were rehydrated without reference to urine specific gravity. An increase in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥ 4 within three days was defined as having stroke-in-evolution. Scores of ≤ 1 on the modified Rankin scale at 3 months were considered to indicate a favorable outcome. Results: A total of 125 patients were analyzed, 46 in the study group and 79 in the control group. The groups did not significantly differ in the stroke-in-evolution rate (4.3% vs. 8.2%, P = 0.474). The rate of favorable outcome at 3 months was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (56.5% vs. 27.8%, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Urine specific gravity-based hydration might be a useful method to improve functional outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke who were non-dehydrated at admission.

Urine-Specific Gravity-Based Hydration Prevents Stroke in Evolution in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Early neurological deterioration after ischemic stroke (stroke-in-evolution [SIE]) is associated with poorer outcomes. Previous studies have demonstrated a link between hydration status and the development of SIE. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that rehydration therapy, administered on the basis of urine-specific gravity (USG) findings, might reduce the development of SIE. METHODS: We conducted a single-arm prospective study of patients with acute ischemic stroke with historical controls. For the study group, a USG higher than 1.010 was taken as an indication for rehydration. Control group patients were rehydrated without referring to USG. An increase in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 4 or higher within 3 days was defined as having SIE. RESULTS: A total of 445 patients were analyzed, 167 in the study group and 278 in the control group. The proportion of patients who developed SIE was numerically, but not significantly, lower in the study group (5.9%; 10 of 167) compared with the control group (11.5%; 32 of 278). Among patients with a USG higher than 1.010 at admission, the SIE rate was significantly reduced in the study group compared with the control group (6.1% versus 16.0%; P = .021), while the rate of SIE was similar in those with a USG of 1.010 or lower at admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that USG-based hydration was an independent factor associated with reducing SIE. CONCLUSIONS: USG might be a convenient and useful method for guiding fluid therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke. USG-based hydration reduced the incidence of SIE among patients with a USG higher than 1.010 at admission.