Association Between Dehydration and Falls

To determine whether there is an association between dehydration and falls in adults 65 years and older.

We used University of Wisconsin Health electronic health records from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2015 to conduct a retrospective cohort study of Midwestern patients 65 years and older and examined the association between dehydration at baseline (defined as serum urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio > 20, sodium level > 145 mg/dL, urine specific gravity > 1.030, or serum osmolality > 295 mOsm/kg) and falls within 3 years after baseline while accounting for prescriptions of loop diuretic, antidepression, anticholinergic, antipsychotic, and benzodiazepine/hypnotic medications and demographic characteristics, using logistic regression.

Of 30,634 patients, 37.9% (n=11,622) were dehydrated, 11.4% (n=3483) had a fall during follow-up, and 11.7% (n=3572) died during the follow-up period. We found a positive association of dehydration with falls alone (odds ratio [OR], 1.13; P=.002). For the outcome of falls or death, dehydration was positively associated (OR, 1.13; P=.001), along with loop diuretics (OR, 1.26; P<.001) and antipsychotic medications (OR, 1.52; P<.001).

More than one-third of older adults in this cohort were dehydrated, with a strong association between dehydration and falls. Understanding and addressing the risks associated with dehydration, including falls, has potential for improving quality of life for patients as they age.