Acute salt poisoning due to different oral rehydration solution (ORS) packet sizes.
The packing and composition of ORS has undergone a change since its introduction. In India, some companies are manufacturing smaller pouches (4.2 g) to be dissolved in 200 ml of water. Therefore, out of confusion some prescribers routinely advise the patients to dissolve the standard formulation ORS pouch (21 g) in a glass (200 ml) of water. Two cases are discussed. First patient developed salt poisoning due to improper dilution and recovered after rapid correction. In the second patient improper reconstitution led to hypernatremia and death.
Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Umar A
UA
Quereshi
Javeed I
JI
Bhat
Syed W
SW
Ali
Abid A
AA
Mir
Altaf H
AH
Kambay
Imtiyaz N
IN
Bhat
D000284:Administration, Oral; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000628:therapy*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D006955:Hypernatremia / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000506:poisoning*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000506:poisoning*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D012965:Sodium Chloride