title: [The low quality of home-made oral rehydration solution in Salvador, Bahia (Brazil)].
abstract: In 1988 a nation-wide campaign aiming to inform the Brazilian population about preparation and use of simple sugar/salt oral rehydration solution (ORS) was carried out. The campaign was massively shown by the media. This preliminary study assessed the quality of ORS prepared by 23 mothers of in-patient children from a pediatric hospital in Salvador, State of Bahia. Fourteen (60.9%) among the 23 mothers prepared solutions containing Na concentrations ranging from 30 to 80 mmol/L which is recommended by the World Health Organization. Eleven (47.8%) solutions contained glucose within the recommended range of 30 to 112 mmoI/L Only 6 (26%) out of the 23 mothers prepared ORS with simultaneously adequate Na and glucose concentrations. However, just 3 (13%) out of these 6 ORS also presented balanced electrolyte concentrations. Potential iatrogenicity due to high concentrations of Na and glucose was found in 30.4% and 43.5% of the solutions, respectively. These data raise serious concerns about the quality of home-made sugar/salt ORS, and therefore about its use as a safe agent in a campaign of diarrhoeal diseases control.
authors.affiliation: Depto. Medicine Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Bahia, Salvador.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palomo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ribeiro Junior