NCT07361952

Oral Versus Intravenous Fluid Therapy in the Emergency Department

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 250 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Esbjerg Hospital - University Hospital of Southern Denmark · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this randomized clinical feasibility trial is to determine whether oral fluid therapy can achieve prescribed fluid volumes as effectively as intravenous fluid therapy in adult patients admitted to the emergency department who require fluid treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are: Are patients receiving oral fluids equally likely to achieve the prescribed fluid volume compared with patients receiving intravenous fluids? Is it feasible to conduct a randomized trial of oral versus intravenous fluid therapy in the emergency department, based on recruitment rate and protocol adherence? Researchers will compare oral tap water administration with standard intravenous crystalloid therapy to assess whether oral fluids are non-inferior in achieving prescribed fluid volumes and to evaluate feasibility outcomes. Participants will: Be randomized to receive either oral tap water or intravenous crystalloid fluids during their stay in the emergency department Receive a fluid volume and administration rate determined by the treating physician Be monitored according to standard clinical practice during the emergency department stay Have fluid intake, vital signs, and clinical outcomes recorded, with follow-up through routine health records up to 30 days after inclusion

Conditions

• Fluid Management

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Oral fluids	Any fluid volume prescribed by the physician during the ED stay is administered orally.
OTHER	Intravenous fluids	Any fluid volume prescribed by the physician during the ED stay is administered intravenously.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-10-03
• Primary completion: 2026-06-01
• Completion: 2026-07-01
• First posted: 2026-01-23
• Last updated: 2026-01-23

Locations

3 sites across 1 country: Denmark