ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral ondansetron in decreasing the vomiting due to acute gastroenteritis in children. In a single center, randomized, double blind, controlled trial, the effect of oral ondansetron was compared with placebo on 176 patients between 1 and 10 years old with acute gastroenteritis. 30 minutes after drug administration, oral rehydration therapy [ORT] was initiated. Severity of vomiting was evaluated during emergency department [ED] stay and 48 hours follow up. Data were collected and analyzed by SPSS16. Fifty two of children [58.5%] were males with the mean age of 3.12 [ +/- 2.30] years. Ten patients in ondansetron and 14 in placebo group had persistent vomiting during ED stay. After analyzing, there was no significant relation between vomiting in 4 and 48 hours and need for intra venous fluid therapy between the two groups although ondansetron generally decreased ORT failure [P=0.03]. Although administrayion of oral ondansetron in gastroenteritis could decrease failure of ORT, it seems that further well-conducted clinical studies are needed to determine effects of oral ondansetron precisely
ABSTRACT
Acute gastroenteritis [AGE] is one of the most common infectious illnesses of childhood. While no treatment is needed for self-limited virus-induced AGE, dehydration caused by diarrhea and emesis is of great concern and should be treated vigorously. However, there is no consensus on the most appropriate electrolyte composition of intravenous fluids; therefore, according to basic protocols in our hospital which suggest hypotonic fluid therapy for AGE, investigators aimed to assess the frequency of hyponatremia in gastroenteritis patients treated with intravenous hypotonic fluid therapy. This descriptive observational study was conducted at 17 Shahrivar Pediatrics Hospital between September 2008 and January 2011. The patients' medical records were assessed and children aged between 1 month and 14 years with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis and dehydration were enrolled in the study. According to sodium concentration at TO, patients were divided into three groups: hyponatremic, hypernatrmic and isonatremic. The blood samples were analyzed for the sodium concentration at TO and during 24 hours. Statistical analyses were performed by T test and chi-square using SPSS18 and statistical significance was defined as a p-va/ue less than 0.05. The mean age of the participants was 16.43 +/- 11.1 months; 58 patients were male [67.4%] and 28 were female [32.6%]. At TO, 35 patients [40.7%] were hyponatremic, 2 patients [2.3%] were hypernatremic and 49 patients were isonatremic. Sodium concentration in the hyponatremic and isonatrmic group were 137.25 +/- 1.9 and 138.29 +/- 2.04 mEq/L respectively which showed a significant difference [p=0.028]. Our study showed that increased sodium intake could decrease acquired hyponatremia. It seems that hyponatremia could be prevented by administering high sodium concentration fluids