Frozen oral hydration as an alternative to conventional enteral fluids.
BACKGROUND
Oral hydration therapy is effective in dehydration, but is often bypassed or may fail.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the tolerance (amount accepted minus amount vomited) of a frozen solution (FS) (Revital-ICE, PTS Labs, Deerfield, Ill) with the conventional glucose electrolyte solution (CS).


METHODS
Prospective, controlled crossover trial.


METHODS
Pediatric emergency department.


METHODS
A convenience sample of 91 children with enteritis, 6 months to 13 years of age, with mild or moderate dehydration.


METHODS
Children were offered either FS or CS. Each group was offered 10 mL/kg of either product during a 90-minute trial period, in 3 equal aliquots, and was monitored for the quantities consumed and vomited. Complete treatment failures (absolute refusal) were crossed over to the alternate product and intake was recorded.


METHODS
Tolerance of the full 10 mL/kg of the original product offered and, for treatment failures, the percentage who tolerated the alternate product.


RESULTS
Of the patients who initially received FS, 23 (55%) tolerated the full amount offered, compared with 5 (11%) in the CS group (P < .001). Of the 57% who completely refused CS, after crossover, 20% tolerated the full amount of FS and 33% tolerated between 5 and 9 mL/kg of FS and were discharged from the hospital. The original treatment failures for FS (12%) were crossed over to CS; none tolerated more than 5 mL/kg


CONCLUSIONS
Children with mild or moderate dehydration are more likely to tolerate FS than CS. Conventional solution failures crossed over to FS had a greater tolerance rate than the reverse.
Santucci
K A
KA
Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, USA.
Anderson
A C
AC
Lewander
W J
WJ
Linakis
J G
JG
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003681:Dehydration / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting
D015532:Rehydration Solutions