Rehydration of moderately dehydrated children with transient glucose intolerance using rice oral rehydration solution

Following the successful rehydration of two moderately dehydrated patients with transient glucose intolerance (TGI) using rice-oral rehydration soluti on (R-ORS), R-ORS has been used in Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramnci Chi ldren's Hospital Diarrhea Training and Treatment Unit (DTTU) to rehydrate m oderately dehydrated children with TGI. The files of children with moderate dehydration and glucose intolerance admitted to the unit were reviewed ret rospectively within two periods according to the availability of R-ORS. The clinical and laboratory findings were analysed where available. Before R-O RS became available (September 1993) 6 patients were admitted, all of whom deteriorated with glucose (G)-ORS treatment in 7.0 +/- 3.8 h and were hospi talized for i.v. fluid treatment. During the second period 22 moderately de hydrated children with TGI were admitted. The clinical and laboratory chara cteristics on admission of the children in the two periods were not statist ically different (p > 0.05). Among the 22 patients admitted during the seco nd period 10 were administered G-ORS in the unit and 12 had already receive d G-ORS at home. Clinical and laboratory deterioration was observed in thes e 10 patients while receiving G-ORS in the unit within 6.3 +/- 3.7 h and re hydration was continued with R-ORS. Clinical and laboratory improvement wer e demonstrated in 8 patients within 18.2 +/- 6.5 h. Overall, 17 patients we re rehydrated successfully with R-ORS, with a mean time of 18.0 +/- 7.2 h. Five patients were hospitalized. The overall success rate of R-ORS was 77.3 %. R-ORS may he considered as an alternative mode of therapy to i.v. treatm ent in the rehydration of moderately dehydrated children with TGI.