Electrolyte disturbance in rotaviral diarrhea and other acute diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years

ABSTRACT

Background: Acute diarrheal disease is one of the most common cause of mortality and morbidity in under 5 children. Rotavirus is one of the important cause of diarrhea in under 5. This study was done to know the electrolyte disturbance in under 5 children with diarrhea.Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in Masonic Medical Centre for Children, Coimbatore on children aged less than 5 years with acute diarrhea with moderate and severe dehydration.Results: Total 220 children are included in study, among them 66(58.9%) had rotavirus infection. Among 220 cases of diarrhea 14.09% (31/220) had hypernatremia, 2.72% (6/220) had hyponatremia, 4.54% (10/220) had hyperkalemia and 9.09% (20/220) had hypokalemia. Among 66 cases of rotavirus diarrhea, 27.27% (18/66) had hypernatremia, 4.5% (3/66) had hyponatremia and 25.75% (17/66) had hypokalemia.Conclusions: Hypernatremia is the most common electrolyte disturbance in acute diarrheal diseases and most frequently seen in rotavirus diarrhea. In most of the situation, there is unavailability of laboratory or time lag in obtaining reports. Hence prediction of electrolyte disturbance and management is more important in diarrheal disease.