Researchers Explore How Urea Relates to Total Osmolality in ICU Patients

Research published ahead of print in the journal Function examines the concentration of urea in relation to the total level of osmolality (ratio of substances to fluids) in the blood of people hospitalized in intensive care (ICU).

Increased osmolality in critically ill patients is common and has thought to be caused by water loss (dehydration). However, it is not known if other mechanisms at work in addition to water loss contribute to a higher concentration of electrolytes and other substances, such as urea, in the blood. In a study of people being treating in the ICU, researchers found that urea levels in the blood rose during the ICU stay, and was highest in people who did not survive 90 days after admittance to the ICU.

“Our data suggest that body water volume reduction could potentially accelerate muscle wasting in ICU patients, a finding that might affect the way we treat patients during the fluid volume reduction phase. If confirmed in future studies free water administration to target normal osmolality, or less aggressive fluid volume reduction, might limit the process of muscle wasting in ICU patients,” the researchers wrote. “Accelerated muscle wasting could be one possible explanation why [plasma urea’s proportion of estimated plasma osmolality] is higher in patients that do not survive to 90 days compared, to those who do in our cohort.”

Read the full article, “The contribution of plasma urea to total osmolality during iatrogenic fluid reduction in critically ill patients.” Contact APS Media Relations to schedule an interview with the research team.