title: The impact of breastfeeding on serum electrolytes in infants hospitalized with severe dehydrating diarrhoea in Yemen.
abstract: The effect of breastfeeding on serum electrolytes and case fatality was studied in a group of 430 children admitted with severe dehydrating diarrhoea. Hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia were significantly more prevalent in infants who were exclusively bottle-fed (37.3% and 46.3%) compared with exclusively breastfed (12.2% and 16.7%) and among bottle-fed weaning children (46.3% and 62.6%) compared with weaning children who continued to breastfeed (24.7% and 36.7%, respectively). Mortality was lower in exclusively breastfed children (4.4%) than in those receiving formula feeds (16.4%); it was also lower in weaning children who continued to receive breast-milk (6%) than in bottle-fed weaning children (13.8%). Breastfeeding significantly reduces case fatality and the likelihood of electrolyte disturbances among infants hospitalized with severe dehydrating diarrhoea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Sana'a University, Yemen. shaithami@unicef.org
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Banajeh
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Hussein
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D003681:Dehydration / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015996:Survival Rate; D015006:Yemen / Q000453:epidemiology