title: Oral therapy of neonates and young infants with World Health Organization rehydration packets: a controlled trial of two sets of instructions.
abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an oral rehydration solution (ORS) that has been linked with a risk of hypernatremia in young infants when extra water or dilute milk is withheld. A controlled, randomized study was therefore undertaken in 50 male infants aged 0-3 months to evaluate the relative safety, efficacy, and practicability of two methods of obviating this risk without negating the concept of a universal rehydrating packet. Twenty-five infants in Group A were rehydrated with a 2:1 regimen (two parts, i.e., 60 ml, WHO-ORS followed by one part, i.e., 30 ml, plain water in an alternating manner) whereas 25 infants in Group B received diluted WHO-ORS (1.5 L water instead of 1 L). In two patients, one in each group, oral therapy failed and they were excluded from analysis. Sub-Group Ac was comprised of 15 cases in Group A in whom the rehydrating instructions were followed correctly. Diluted WHO-ORS provided as safe and effective rehydration as the 2:1 regimen administered properly (sub-Group Ac). Both methods adequately corrected and maintained the hydration status and serum sodium levels, but a few infants in each group had subnormal serum K+/HCO-3 levels during therapy. Rehydrating instructions in Group A were misinterpreted in nine (37.5%) cases. Excessive ORS intake in five infants resulted in hypernatremia (three cases, 12.5%), periorbital edema (three cases, 12.5%), excessive irritability (two cases, 8.3%), and mild pedal edema (one case, 4.2%). Excessive water intake in comparison to ORS in four infants was responsible for delayed rehydration (three cases, 12.5%) and asymptomatic hyponatremia and hypokalemia (two cases, 8.3%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000628:therapy; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003681:Dehydration / Q000628:therapy*; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006955:Hypernatremia / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; C044142:World Health Organization oral rehydration solution; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D012964:Sodium; D005947:Glucose; D011188:Potassium