What risk is associated with administering 5% dextrose in 0.9% NaCl subcutaneously?

Administering 5% dextrose in 0.9% NaCl subcutaneously poses a risk of sloughing of the skin due to the hypertonic nature of the solution. When hypertonic fluids are injected into the subcutaneous tissue, they can draw water out of the nearby cells and surrounding tissues through osmosis. This can lead to cellular dehydration, tissue necrosis, and ultimately skin sloughing. It's essential to consider that subcutaneous administration is generally better suited to isotonic or less concentrated solutions to prevent such complications.

In contrast, the other choices are less relevant to the immediate risks associated with subcutaneous administration of this specific solution. While electrolyte imbalances, severe dehydration, or cyclic vomiting could result from improper fluid management or underlying conditions, these are not direct and immediate risks from subcutaneous administration of a hypertonic solution, making sloughing of the skin the most accurate answer in this context.