title: Reduced osmolarity oral rehydration salt in Cholera.
abstract: In a controlled clinical trial conducted in 34 adults with severe cholera diarrhoea, the use of a relatively dilute oral rehydration salt (ORS) solution (sodium 67, potassium 20, chloride 66, citrate 7, glucose 89 mmol/l, osmolality 249 mOsmol/kg) caused a 29% (p=0.003) reduction in stool output over the first 24 h and a 37% (p=0.001) reduction over the first 48 h compared with 29 controls who received the hyperosmolar WHO/UNICEF ORS. No controls but 3 study-group patients had marked but asymptomatic hyponatraemia (sodium <125 mmol/l) at 24 h. Twenty-four % of controls and 12% of patients receiving the dilute ORS needed unscheduled intravenous therapy for recurrence of dehydration. The ORS intake was twice the 48 h stool volume in controls and 3 times in the study group. The test ORS with a reduced glucose and sodium concentration is more efficient than the WHO/UNICEF ORS in preserving net intestinal fluid balance in severe cholera.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Faruque
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mahalanabis
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hamadani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zetterstrom
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002771:Cholera / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D015532:Rehydration Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015532:Rehydration Solutions