title: Gastroenteritis in a regional hospital in Kuwait: some aspects of the disease.
abstract: A review of the clinical course of gastroenteritis in 274 hospitalized children revealed a severe form of the disease. Eight-eight per cent were aged 12 months or under and 20% had severe associated malnutrition. The commonest clinical manifestations were diarrhoea (100%), dehydration (98.9%), vomiting (81.4%) and fever (77.7%). Pathogens were isolated from 75.2% of cases (rotavirus 24.5%, Escherichia coli 20.8%, salmonellae 20%, shigellae 6.2%, campylobacter 2.2% and Yersinia enterocolitica in 1.5%). Septicaemia was confirmed in 12 patients (4.4%) and strong clinical evidence of septicaemia was present in 36 more cases (13%). Dehydration was isonatraemic in 68%, hyponatraemic in 21% and hypernatraemic in 11% of cases. There was a clear association between septicaemia and hyponatraemia. The overall mortality rate was 1.8%. Data from our study show that the use of intravenous hyperalimentation, and/or antibiotics in the management of gastroenteritis in selected patients, can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents