Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Dehydration

Dehydration is a deficit of total body water, occurring when fluid losses exceed intake and disturbing the balance of water and electrolytes essential for circulation, cellular function, and thermoregulation. It is commonly precipitated by diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, inadequate fluid consumption, or excessive losses…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 63× across the literature 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

Dehydration is a deficit of total body water, occurring when fluid losses exceed intake and disturbing the balance of water and electrolytes essential for circulation, cellular function, and thermoregulation. It is commonly precipitated by diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, inadequate fluid consumption, or excessive losses through sweating or osmotic diuresis, and is classified by the accompanying sodium balance into isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic forms, each with distinct effects on fluid compartments. Clinical consequences range from thirst, reduced skin turgor, and tachycardia to hypovolaemia, electrolyte derangement, acute kidney injury, and, when severe, circulatory collapse. Children with acute diarrhoeal illness and older adults with reduced thirst sensation are especially vulnerable, making early recognition and assessment of hydration status important. Management centres on fluid and electrolyte replacement, with oral rehydration therapy a cornerstone for diarrhoeal dehydration and intravenous fluids reserved for severe cases. Research published in this area by the journal addresses these aspects, including the risk factors, complications, and management of children presenting with severe diarrhoea, educational interventions promoting oral rehydration salts during childhood diarrhoea, identification of poor hydration in older hospitalised people through total-body-water assessment, and international comparison of children's fluid intake and barriers to drinking. These contributions span the causes, recognition, and treatment of fluid and electrolyte imbalance across vulnerable populations.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 63 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Dehydration, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Air and Water Borne Diseases.

Journal editorial board
Balish Amanda · United States Maria Cielo Rodrigues Sousa · Portugal

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.