Efficacy of oral rehydration solution in treatment of different types of dehydration in acute infantile diarrhea

ABSTRACT

This work aimed at studying the efficacy of Oral Rehydration solution [ORS] recommended by the WHO in the treatment of different types of dehydration in acute infantile diarrhea. It included 200 infants and children aged from 3 months to 3 years and suffering from acute watery diarrhea with mild to moderate degrees of dehydration but without concomitant serious illnesses or malnutrition. They were not receiving ORS at home before admission to the hospital. The results of this study demonstrated that on admission hyponatremic dehydration was reported in 6% [group A], isonatremic dehydration in 84% [group B] and hypernateremic dehydrationin 10% [group C]. All patients among the three groups A, B, and C gained weight properly after rehydration with a% increase of 5.27 +/- 1.46% respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the percent in weight gain among the three studied groups where F = 0.03. After rehydration, 66.7% of hyponatremic cases were reversed to isonatremia, isonatremic cases were successfully orally rehydrated and the risk of hypernatremia was nil. The percent of increment of serum sodium level in hypernatremic cases was not statistically significant and all cases of hypernatremia were successfully orally rehydrated. Regarding serum potassium levels on admission, hypokalemia i.e. serum potassium levels below 3.5 mEq/L. was reported in 16.7% of cases in group A, 19.05% of cases in group B and 20% of cases in group C. Normal serum potassium levels were reported in 83.3%, 80.95% and 80% in group A, B and C respectively and no hyperkalemic cases were reported in the 3 groups. After rehydration, hypokalemic cases were reported in 7.14% of cases in group B and no hypokalemic cases were reported in both groups A and C. Normal serum potassium levels were reported in 100%, 92.86% and 100% in groups A, B and C respectively and no hyperkalemic cases were reported in the 3 groups. The total serum solids which were increased on admission due to dehydration, decreased after rehydration indicating successful rehydration