[Continuous oral hydration or with fractionated doses in acute diarrhea-induced dehydration in children].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of two oral rehydration techniques.


METHODS
A randomized clinical trial was conducted at the oral rehydration unit of Hospital Infantil de Mexico "Federico Gomez", between September 1998 and June 1999. Forty patients five-year old and younger children, dehydrated due to acute diarrhea, were given oral rehydration solution (ORS) ad libitum (AL group); another forty patients received ORS in fractionated doses (FD group). Clinical characteristics were similar in both groups. Results are presented as means, standard deviations and medians, according the distribution of simple and relative frequencies.


RESULTS
The mean stool output in the AL group was 11.0 +/- 7.5 g/kg/h; as compared to 7.1 +/- 7.4 in the FD group (p = 0.03). ORS intake, rehydration time, and mean diuresis values were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Six patients in the AL group and five in the FD group had high stool output (> 10 g/kg/h), that improved after administration of rice starch solution. One patient in the AL group and two in the FD group had persistent vomiting that improved with gastroclisis. No patient required intravenous rehydration.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that ORS administration ad libitum under supervision, is a technique as safe and effective as the fractionated doses technique, for the treatment of dehydrated children due to acute diarrhea.
Mota-Hernández
Felipe
F
Servicio de Hidratación Oral, Departamento de Medicina Comunitaria, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, México, D.F., México. fmota@mail.ssa.gob.mx
Gutiérrez-Camacho
Claudia
C
Cabrales-Martínez
Rosa Georgina
RG
Villa-Contreras
Sofía
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003681:Dehydration / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male