Clinical characteristics of transient glucose intolerance during acute diarrhoea

Transient glucose intolerance (TGI) is an important cause of WHO G-ORS (Glu cose-Oral Rehydration Solution) treatment failure and hospitalization in de hydrated children during acute diarrhoea. This retrospective case-control s tudy was designed to determine some risk and predictive factors for develop ing TGI among moderately dehydrated patients with acute diarrhoea while und er G-ORS therapy. Among moderately dehydrated patients, files of 22 patient s with TGI and 66 other dehydrated patients without intolerance were review ed. Patients with TGI were younger (9.7 +/- 10.5 mo and 11.6 +/- 7.8 mo, re spectively, p < 0.05), the median age being 6 mo in the TGI group and 10 mo in non-TGI group. There was no difference between groups for sex, admissio n season, history of fever or vomiting, frequency of vomiting, presence of blood, mucous or leukocyte in stool, presence of associated disease and dur ation of diarrhoea on admission. The admission haemoglobin, white blood cel l, blood pH, sodium and potassium levels were similar in both groups. The m ean serum chloride level (116.8 +/- 6.9, 109.6 +/- 7.9 mEq/l, respectively, p < 0.05) was higher in the TGI group and the bicarbonate level was lower (12.9 +/- 3.8, 15.3 +/- 6.0, respectively, p < 0.05). Stool frequency was a lso higher in patients with TGI (11.2 +/- 5.3/24 h, 5.9 +/- 4.4/24 h, respe ctively, p < 0.05). No difference was found between the nutritional status of children in both groups. Mon children were breastfed in the group withou t TGI (34/56, 61%, 6/18, 33% respectively, p = 0.079, OR = 0.32, 95% CI [0. 09-1.11]). It was concluded that patients with TGI are younger and have hig h stool frequency. Although statistical significance could not be shown, br eastfeeding seems to protect children from TGI, as it protects from diarrho ea.