Treatment of acute diarrhea with oral rehydration solutions containing glutamine.
OBJECTIVE
In a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial we compared the efficacy of adding 90 mmol/L L-glutamine to the standard World Health Organization oral rehydration salts (WHO-ORS).


METHODS
One hundred twenty male infants, > 1 month and < 1 year of age, with acute non-cholera diarrhea and dehydration were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups.


METHODS
Patients were kept in a metabolic unit where body weight, ORS, water and food intake, as well as stool, urine and vomitus output were recorded at 6-hour intervals. Laboratory evaluation, including blood gases and electrolytes, were monitored during hospitalization.


RESULTS
Diarrheal stool output, duration of diarrhea and volume of ORS required to achieve and maintain hydration was not significantly different between the treatment groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that a glutamine-based ORS did not provide any additional therapeutic advantage over the standard WHO-ORS during treatment of dehydration in infants with acute non-cholera diarrhea.
Ribeiro Júnior
H
H
Department of Pediatrics, Federal University of Bahia School of Medicine, Brazil.
Ribeiro
T
T
Mattos
A
A
Palmeira
C
C
Fernandez
D
D
Sant'Ana
I
I
Rodrigues
I
I
Bendicho
M T
MT
Fontaine
O
O
D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003681:Dehydration / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005973:Glutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015532:Rehydration Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001639:Bicarbonates; D015532:Rehydration Solutions; C044142:World Health Organization oral rehydration solution; D005973:Glutamine; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D005947:Glucose