Oral rehydration salts: an effective choice for the treatment of children with vasovagal syncope

Abstract

To explore whether oral rehydration salts (ORS) is effective in the treatment of children with vasovagal syncope (VVS). One hundred and sixty-six consecutive patients with recurrent syncope and positive head-up tilt testing (HUTT) were recruited, randomly divided to conventional therapy (health education and tilt training) plus ORS (with 500 ml of water) group (Group I, 87 patients) and conventional therapy group (Group II, 79 patients). Therapeutic effect was evaluated by changes of syncopal episode and reperformed HUTT response. At the end of 6-month follow-up, syncopal episode did not reoccur in 49 (56.3 %) patients, decreased in 34 (39.1 %) patients, and had no obvious change or increased in four (4.6 %) patients in Group I, and the results were 31 (39.2 %), 37 (46.8 %), and 11 (14 %) in Group II, respectively. The difference was significant (χ (2) = 7.074, P < 0.05). When HUTT was reperformed, 57 (65.5 %) and 28 (35.4 %) patients had negative response and 30 (34.5 %) and 51 (64.6 %) patients had positive response, respectively, in Group I and Group II. The difference was also significant (χ (2) = 13.808, P < 0.01). In Group I, the two aspects had no difference between vasodepressor type and mixed type; however, syncopal episode had a significant difference between children aged ≤12 and >12 years (χ (2) = 6.371, P < 0.05); there was no difference in reperformed HUTT response. ORS with 500 ml of water is an effective therapy for VVS. It can be recommended as one of non- pharmacological treatment measures in children with VVS.