[Prognosis of rotavirus diarrhea]. / Pronóstico de la diarrea por rotavirus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the severity of rotavirus diarrhea (RV) and non-rotavirus diarrhea. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between October 1994 and March 1995, a cross-sectional study was performed in 520 infants with acute diarrhea, at seven primary care level centers in five states of Mexico. Diagnosis of RV was done through immunoenzymatic assay or electrophoresis. Central tendency measures were used for data analysis. Results were presented as means and standard deviations, or median and variation. RESULTS: RV was isolated from 264 children; most of them were males aged 6 months to 1 year. Differences in clinical manifestations were statistically significant between the rotavirus-positive group and the rotavirus-negative group, in the following variables: median number of stools/24 hours; frequency of vomiting; temperature > 38 degrees C; dehydration; and clinical severity scoring. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed a poorer prognosis and a higher severity of rotavirus diarrhea, as compared to non-rotavirus diarrhea in infants.

[Rice water with and without electrolytes in diarrhea with a high stool output]. / Agua de arroz con y sin electrolitos en diarrea de gasto fecal elevado.

The objective of the study was to determine the efficacy and safety of two rice-based oral rehydration solutions, with and without added electrolyte in children presenting acute diarrheal dehydration with high stool output (> 10 mL/kg/h) during a two-hour rehydration period. Twenty-two patients of one to 18 months old were recruited and randomly distributed into two groups: group A received the rice-based solution without electrolytes, and group B received the rice-based solution with electrolytes. A stool output diminishing was observed in both groups and rehydration was achieved in 4.0 +/- 0.9 hours in 21 patients from group A and in 4.6 +/- 0.9 hours in 13 patients group group B. There was not a statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the laboratory results. The rice-based oral rehydration solution without added electrolytes was useful for rehydration of children presenting high stool output, after administering the WHO/ORS recommended formula during a two-hour period.

[Cholera in children. A report of 8 cases]. / Cólera en niños. Informe de ocho casos.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by Vibrio cholerae 01. When an infected person presents severe dehydration and is not adequately treated, he or she will develop hypovolemic shock and eventually could died. There is scarce information concerning this disease in the Pediatric group. Herein we report on eight cases of Pediatric cholera, in children 17 month to four years of age. Seven patients out of eight were admitted presenting dehydration. Four presenting mild or moderate dehydration and three presenting hypovolemic shock. These three patients were rehydrated by intravenous route and thereafter the hydration was maintained by oral therapy. The outcome was uneventful in six patients. One patient developed abdominal distention probably due to hypopotassemia, and another patient presented hyponatremia and seizures. All the patients recovered within five days after admission.

[Cholera in pediatrics]. / Cólera en pediatría.

Cholerae is a grave and acute bacterial intestine infection which is caused by a bacilo, V. cholerae 01, that produces toxic products. Its clinical symptoms range from abundant liquid diarrhoea combined with vomiting and rapid dehydration. It is highly lethal when right treatment is not applied. There are also cases of cholera where victims do not show any symptoms of it, that is asymptomatic carriers. Any clinical suspicion of cholerae has to be corroborated by epidemiological data and its diagnostic confirmation should be done by isolating the bacteria, V. cholerae. When beginning the treatment, it is not necessary to confirm the diagnostic and this is based on the restitution of the liquids lost through vomiting and facing using any methods that are recommended for any other type of diarrhoea. The antimicrobial treatment is used only for grave cases. This present revision includes recent knowledge about cholerae emphasising on the effective management of cases through an adequate use of right treatment methods and also using the principal prevention measures against dissemination of this disease.

[Arterial hypertension in children]. / Hipertensión arterial en niños.

It is considered hypertension in children, the persistent increase of the blood pressure values above percentile 95 for age and sex, in no less than three determinations, with adequate register techniques. Blood pressure is maintained mainly by the regulation of metabolism of sodium and water in the intravascular space, through the adequate balance of intake, filtration, reabsorption and renal throughout. It is also regulated by hormonal factors. Weight gain control in teen-agers could be useful to prevent high blood pressure in adults. In children, it is generally secondary to renal, reno-vascular, endocrinological or tumoral diseases. Clinical manifestations and the recommended diagnostic procedures are analysed to detect the most frequent causes of hypertension at different ages. Most cases response with antihypertensive drugs in combination with hyposodic diet. For the hypertensive crisis, asa diuretics and powerful antihypertensive drugs may be employed. Patients with chronic renal insufficiency could also need dialytic treatments. Renovascular diseases require almost always invasive treatments. Better prognosis in children with severe high blood pressure is related with recent diagnostic procedures, surgical techniques and antihypertensive drugs improvements.

[The management of diarrheal disease at home in some regions of Mexico]. / Manejo de la enfermedad diarreica en el hogar en algunas regiones de México.

A survey was carried out between May and October, 1991 in eleven federal entities to know the correct household diarrhea case management (EMECADI). It was observed that among the 15,125 children less than five years old the punctual prevalence was of 6.4% (970 children); the incidence in the previous two weeks was 14.5% (1,605 children) and the annual incidence of diarrhea was 4.5 episodes per child per year. Among the children who presented diarrhea in the 24 hours, the following rates were observed: use of oral hydration solution, 17.1%; use of recommended homemade fluids, 63.2%; oral hydration therapy use, 63.2%; increased fluids, 29.9%; correct oral serum preparation, 60.0%; continued breast-feeding, 75.0%; continued feeding, 59.8%; adequate knowledge about seeking care, 12.5%, and drugs use, 53.2%. The reference and nutritional components should improved.

[Treatment of children with acute diarrheal disease. Knowledge and attitudes of the health personnel]. / Tratamiento de niños con enfermedad diarreica aguda. Conocimiento y actitudes del personal de salud.

Diarrheal diseases are still one of the most frequent causes of death due to dehydration in children; lack of information regarding the adequate treatment of diarrhea is the main cause. The results of an inquire sent to 620 physicians and nurses were analyzed to determine the knowledge and attitudes of the health care workers that reside in different diarrheal mortality areas in Mexico. The less professional experience time was correlated with more knowledge in etiology of diarrhea. More physicians than nurses had correct answers regarding the place of diarrheal diseases in child mortality and the correct use of antimicrobial, and other drugs and liquids to prevent and treat dehydration. Most workers did not know the inconvenience of hypertonic solutions to prevent dehydration and the importance of the oral solution flavor. This results suggest that nurses will, be included in clinical training by means of seminars in oral hydration therapy. Furthermore it seems convenient to increase the access to oral hydration solutions as well as the diffusion of its advantages.

[Efficacy of a rice-based beverage for the management of dehydration caused by acute diarrhea in children]. / Eficacia de una bebida a base de arroz en el manejo de la deshidratación por diarrea aguda en niños.

We tested the clinical efficacy of a rice-powder gruel (RPG) as an oral rehydration solution in a randomized clinical trial, comparing it with oral rehydration salts (ORS) prepared as recommended by WHO. RPG was prepared as mothers do it in a rural area, according to previous ethnographic work. RPG has sugar but no sodium or other electrolytes. Seventy patients under 5 years old with mild to moderate dehydration due to acute diarrhea were included in the trial. Ninety-two percent of children were successfully rehydrated with RPG and 91% of children were successfully rehydrated with ORS. Patients in the study group required less time to rehydrate and presented a reduction in fecal output as compared with the control group. We propose that the rice-powder gruel should find its place as a first line of treatment at the home level, when oral rehydration salts are not available, to prevent dehydration in the child affected with acute diarrhea, and that its use should be closely linked to no suspension or rapid reintroduction of oral feeding to provide an external source of sodium and other nutrients.

Rice solution and World Health Organization solution by gastric infusion for high stool output diarrhea.

We sought to determine the efficacy of three different types of treatment in children with acute diarrhea who, during the oral rehydration period, had high stool output (greater than 10 mL/kg per hour). Sixty-six children, aged 1 to 18 months, with an average stool output of 22.6 mL/kg per hour were randomly distributed into three groups: group 1 received a rice flour solution, group 2 received the World Health Organization rehydration solution by gastric infusion, and group 3 continued to receive this solution orally. In all three groups, a decrease in stool output was observed, with the higher decrease observed in group 1 patients. Such a decrease facilitated rehydration of all 22 patients in group 1 (100%) in 3.3 +/- 1.5 hours, 16 (73%) in group 2 in 4.3 +/- 2.1 hours, and 15 (69%) in group 3 in 4.9 +/- 2.0 hours. No complications were observed. These data indicate that the rice flour solution is effective in children with high stool output diarrhea.

[Oral rehydration in newborns with dehydration caused by diarrhea]. / Hidratación oral en recién nacidos deshidratados por diarrea.

The clinical experience obtained while treating 43 dehydrated newborns due to diarrhea with oral rehydration solution (ORS) using the formula recommended by the World Health Organization is reported. Of the 43 patients, 26 were severely dehydrated (greater than equal to 10% of weight recovery once rehydrated). The averaged time need to correct the dehydration was 4.7 +/- 2.7 hours, with a average intake of ORS of 26.5 +/- 7.5 mL/kg/hour. Children who were being breastfed continued so during the rehydration period. Two of the patients were hospitalized for intravenous treatment, one was due to persistent vomiting during rehydration and probably due to sepsis, and the other due to necrosing enterocolitis. The oral rehydration therapy was successful in 95% of the newborns included in the study, which proved the method to be safe and adequate for the correction of dehydration due to diarrhea among these patients. Similar experiences are reported in Mexico as well as from other countries, which also suggest the use of this therapeutic procedure in children of this age.

[Effect of a new amino acid solution in the oral hydration of nursing infants with acute diarrhea. A prospective study]. / Efecto de una nueva solución con aminoácidos en la hidratación oral de lactantes con diarrea aguda. Un estudio prospectivo.

Thirty-two one- to 12-month-old male infants with diarrheal dehydration treated with either the oral rehydration solution recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), or the same solution modified by the addition of glycerine (60 mmol/L) and glycil-glycine (30 mmol/L), with a total osmolality of 379 mOsm/kg. The patients belonging to the latter group exhibited greater stool losses (10.3 +/- 8.3 vs 8.0 +/- 6.4 mL/kg/hour) and a greater urine volume (10.4 +/- 14.2 vs 4.6 +/- 4.0 mL/kg/6 hours), during the first four to six hours of the rehydration period. The results of this study show, that in contrast with those of other series, the addition of glycine and glycil-glycine to the WHO solution, at the concentrations used in the study, produces greater fecal water losses in children with dehydration due to acute diarrhea.

[Strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by acute diarrhea in Latin America]. / Estrategias para la disminución de la morbi-mortalidad por diarreas agudas en América Latina.

Following the World Health Organization guidelines, the Latin American Diarrheal Disease Control Programs have directed its efforts towards the promotion of Oral Hydration Therapy (OHT) and appropriate dietary management during the diarrheal episode and convalescent period, aimed at diminishing the mortality secondary to diarrhea. In developing countries, OHT is preventing, annually, one million of childhood deaths due to dehydration. Yet, only one fourth of the total population of children suffering diarrhea are being treated with this therapy. Among the strategies to decrease diarrhea morbidity, breast-feeding and hand washing are top priorities. The fundamental strategy has been to promote educational programs to train health personnel and community members. To continue these actions, we suggested the creation of more secondary and tertiary level hospitals and the installation of community units of OHT. They should become self-sufficient and self-manageable and include other programs of primary health care, such as immunization, growth and development surveillance, family planning and pregnancy control.

[Treatment of diarrheic disease at home. Comparison of 2 forms of oral solutions: liquid and concentrated in small bags]. / Tratamiento de la enfermedad diarreica en el hogar. Comparación de dos presentaciones de suero oral: líquida y concentrada en sobres.

One hundred children, ranging in ages from a month to a year, with acute diarrhea who were treated at home following the basic standard recommendations, were studied. In order to prevent dehydration, half of the children were given oral solution (OS) containing the concentrated official formula in packets (group A), and the remaining half was given a commercially prepared ready-to-use OS (group B). During the treatment period, two house calls were made and the third day the patient was asked to come in for a check-up at the hospital. The clinical and socioeconomic characteristics were similar in both groups. The majority of parents made some reference to the "salty" taste of their OS, while only a few thought it has a sweet taste. In Group B, there were greater numbers of relatives who did not wash their hands before administering the OS and did it through bottles. A reminder was given on suggestive signs of dehydration expected, during the second home visit, although they were few. In both groups the average amount of OS administered was greater than 40 mL/kg/24 hours. The majority of the patients gained weight during the treatment. Four patients showed signs of slight dehydration (three from group A and one from group B). The OS's bacteriologic examination was positive for enteropathogens in 16% of the samples from group A and in 5% from group B. The average time the diarrhea continued was similar for both groups. Sodium concentration ranged from 60 to 120, potassium from 15 to 30 mmol/L, in 85% of those cases in group A and 98% in group B.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)