Factors influencing thirst in ICU patients: A mixed methods systematic review

• Published in: Intensive & critical care nursing 2025-02, Vol.86, p.103811, Article 103811
• Main Authors: Xie, Xue-Mei, Huang, Dan, Chun, Shuang, Bai, Ding-Xi, Lu, Xian-Ying, Li, Yue, Hou, Chao-Ming, Ji, Wen-Ting, Gao, Jing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bias; Clinical medicine; Content analysis; Critical care; Diuretics; Female; Health care; Humans; ICU patients; Influencing factors; Intensive care; Intensive Care Units - organization & administration; Intervention; Lifestyles; Male; Marital status; Mechanical ventilation; Medical personnel; Mixed methods research; Patients; Personal characteristics; Physiology; Prevention programs; Psychological aspects; Qualitative Research; Quality of life; Research methodology; Serum; Sodium; Systematic review; Thirst; Thirst - physiology; Ventilation
• ISSN: 0964-3397; 1532-4036; 1532-4036
• DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2024.103811

To systematically review the factors influencing thirst in ICU patients, providing a reference for effective management of thirst in ICU patients and the formulation of intervention measures. A total of 12 electronic databases were searched from inception to July 2023. The synthesis method of JBI mixed methods research systematic review was used. The quantitative studies were analyzed by Stata17.0 and RevMan 5.3 software, and the qualitative studies by meta-aggregation. A total of 13 studies were included, including 2 qualitative studies and 11 quantitative studies. The quantitative study was carried out by meta-aggregation, extracting seven categories to form two synthesized findings. Quantitative meta-analysis revealed that 11 factors, including marital status, whether to use mechanical ventilation for the first time, air leakage, mechanical ventilation mode, simplified acute physiology score, respiratory rate, mask comfort, serum sodium concentration, breathing pattern, diuretics, and vasoactive drugs, were all associated with the occurrence of thirst in ICU patients. The qualitative and quantitative results were integrated into 5 categories, namely personal characteristics and lifestyle, disease factors, treatment factors, psychological factors, and nurse factors. Thirst is a prevalent and severe issue among ICU patients, and effective interventions are required to address it. Considering its various causes, managing thirst in ICU patients should involve multiple levels of intervention. Treatment-related factors contribute significantly to thirst, and these factors should be taken into consideration when developing a thirst management strategy. Personal characteristics and lifestyle, psychological factors, drug-related factors, and nursing factors should be identified and optimized as soon as possible. Healthcare professionals should pay attention to thirst symptoms in ICU patients and promptly take effective preventive or intervention measures based on the influencing factors.