Rice-based oral electrolyte solutions for the management of infantile diarrhea

Abstract

Background: In infants the treatment of acute diarrhea with glucose-based solutions results in rehydration but does not reduce the severity of diarrhea. Oral rehydration with solutions based on rice powder may reduce stool output as well as restore fluid volume.

Methods: We designed a prospective, randomized, double-blind study to evaluate the efficacy of two rice-based rehydration solutions and a conventional glucose-based solution. Solution A contained only rice-syrup solids, solution B contained rice-syrup solids and casein hydrolysate, and solution C, the glucose-based solution, served as control. The study subjects were 86 mildly to moderately dehydrated infant boys, 3 to 18 months old, who were admitted to a children's hospital with acute diarrhea. We measured fluid intake, fecal and urine output, and absorption and retention of fluid, sodium, and potassium at intervals for 48 hours in all 86 infants.

Results: The mean (+/- SE) fecal output was significantly lower in the infants given solution A (group A infants) than in the infants given solution C (group C) (29 +/- 4 vs. 46 +/- 7 ml per kilogram of body weight, P less than 0.05) during the first six hours of therapy. The infants in group A also had greater fluid absorption (221 +/- 16 vs. 167 +/- 9 ml per kilogram, P less than 0.05) over the entire 48 hours of therapy and greater potassium absorption (1.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.1 mmol per kilogram, P less than 0.05) during the first six hours than the infants in group C. Solution B offered no advantages over solution A.

Conclusions: Solutions containing rice-syrup solids were effective in the rehydration of infants with acute diarrhea. They decreased stool output and promoted greater absorption and retention of fluid and electrolytes than did a glucose-based solution.