title: Use of intravenous fluids in Hong Kong children hospitalised for diarrhoea and relationship to severity and aetiology.
abstract: This study assessed the clinical management and impact of diarrhoea aetiology (rotavirus positive/negative) and rotavirus genotype on diarrhoeal disease severity. Of 7391 diarrhoea admissions less than 5 years of age over a 2-year period, 80% of patients were tested for rotavirus, 87% were cultured for bacterial pathogens and 78% were assessed for both. Diarrhoeal severity scores were greatest in those children with mixed rotavirus and bacterial infections. Between 1.3 and 8.4% of infants were considered dehydrated yet intravenous fluids were used for 48% of infants (69% rotavirus positive, 72% mixed infection). These findings support the promotion of oral rehydration therapy over intravenous fluids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, PR China.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: E Anthony S
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: P K S
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: T Christopher
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Mast
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DiStefano
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bresee
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000628:therapy; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003681:Dehydration; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000628:therapy; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution