Clinical experience with a hypotonic oral rehydration solution in acute diarrhoea.
A hypotonic oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution with total osmolality of 224 mosmol/l was compared in an open clinical trial with an isotonic (osmolality 304 mosmol/l) ORS solution for the treatment of dehydration due to acute diarrhoea. Both ORS solutions had the same electrolyte composition with a Na+ concentration of 60 mmol/l. Children given the hypotonic ORS solution (n = 103) passed significantly fewer diarrhoeal stools, and their diarrhoea and hospital stay were shorter than those of children given the isotonic ORS solution (n = 135). We conclude that hypotonic ORS ("light" ORS) has clinical advantages over the standard ORS currently used in Finland.
Rautanen
T
T
Infectious Diseases Teaching Unit, University of Helsinki, Finland.
el-Radhi
S
S
Vesikari
T
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage
D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D012965:Sodium Chloride