A COMPARISON OF CATHARTICS IN PEDIATRIC INGESTIONS

Objective. To compare the mean time to first stool, number of stools, and side effects of three commonly used cathartics in pediatric ingest ions. Design. This prospective clinical trial was a randomized, double -blinded comparison of sorbitol, magnesium citrate, magnesium sulfate, and water, administered with activated charcoal in the treatment of p ediatric patients 1 to 5 years of age with acute ingestions. Outcome p arameters were mean time to first stool, mean number of stools during 24 hours, and side effects. Results. One hundred sixteen patients comp leted the study. Significant differences in mean time to the first sto ol were detected among cathartic agents (F = 9.29), with sorbitol-trea ted patients having a shortest mean time to the first stool (mean, 8.4 8 hours). Sorbitol produced a significantly higher number of stools (m ean, 2.79) in the 24-hour follow-up period than other cathartics (F = 3.49). The most common side effect of cathartic administration was eme sis, which occurred more commonly in sorbitol-treated patients. Conclu sion. Sorbitol, when administered with activated charcoal in the treat ment of children with acute ingestions, produced a shorter time to fir st stool and more stools than magnesium citrate, magnesium sulfate, or water.