Effectiveness of packed rice-oral rehydration solution among children with acute watery diarrhea

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness between the packed rice-oral rehydration solution (R-ORS) and the glucose-based oral rehydration solution (G-ORS) in children with acute watery diarrhea.

Material and method: Randomized control trial was conducted to compare duration of diarrhea, stool frequency, incremental weight gain, intravenous fluid requirement, and duration of admission. Subjects were 70 pediatric patients (9-60 months-old) and were equally divided into two groups (n=35 for each): treatment group (with R-ORS treatment) and control group (with G-ORS treatment). The data were collected during January 1, 2007 to January 2008. All patients were treated with oral rehydration therapy within first 4 hours of admission. Intravenous rehydration was also scheduled. Both groups were fed with rice gruel or lactose-free formula as tolerated.

Results: Using survival analysis, both duration of diarrhea and admission was significantly shortened in the treatment group compared to the control group. (27.5 hrs. vs. 40.5 hrs: p = 0.01 and 40.1 hrs. vs. 56.0 hrs: p = 0.02 respectively). However, stool frequency, incremental weight gain and intravenous fluid requirement between the two groups remained insignificantly different.

Conclusion: R-ORS was more effective in the management of acute watery diarrhea in children. Duration of diarrhea and treatment was shortened when compared to G-ORS.