Comparison of simple sugar/salt versus glucose/electrolyte oral rehydration solutions in infant diarrhoea.
In a randomized double-blind trial, infants with mild or moderate diarrhoeal dehydration were rehydrated orally either with a simple solution containing table sugar and salt (without potassium or bicarbonate) or with a complete glucose/electrolyte formula. All 32 given glucose/electrolyte solution and 27 (93%) of 29 infants given sugar/salt were successfully rehydrated with similar improvement in metabolic acidosis and rapidity of rehydration. The drawbacks to oral therapy with simple sugar/salt solution were the frequent development of hypokalaemia and greater volume of vomiting during treatment. Carefully prepared sugar/salt solution, if accompanied by adequate potassium supplementation, may be used as an alternative to the preferred glucose/electrolyte formula when the latter is unavailable.
D000138:Acidosis / Q000209:etiology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003681:Dehydration / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005947:Glucose / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012492:Salts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012996:Solutions; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology
D002241:Carbohydrates; D004573:Electrolytes; D012492:Salts; D012996:Solutions; D005947:Glucose