[Comparison of an oral rehydration solution (ORS 90) and a "supersolution" during acute infantile diarrhea]

As acute diarrhoea gives rise to a loss of water and electrolytes, the most effective therapy results the oral rehydration. Harrison and Darrow tried this way first. Only in the years '60 we began to use oral rehydration commonly. Usually, solutions contain glucose, Na, K, Cl, Bicarbonate in various concentration. When glucose is replaced by rice starch or when amino acid are added, then we have a "supersolution". Nutrients intake provides more calories and increases absorption Na-depending. We used one of these new "supersolutions". Two groups of children, hospitalised for acute diarrhoea, were treated with different rehydration solutions. The first one (Dicodral Forte), prepared according to the WHO, contains glucose and electrolytes as we know. The second one (Amidral) has rice starch instead of glucose and presents a lower concentration of Na and Cl. The present study looked over: A) Weight increase from the first to the third day of hospitalisation in our department. B) Duration of diarrhea. C) Number of stools. D) Haematological values before and after rehydration. All the patients ingested the same amount of solution. Children which received WHO's solution presented diarrhea longer than others (2.55 +/- 2.06 vs 2.2 +/- 1.1 days). Number of stools was below average too (3.05 +/- 2.64 vs 2.8 +/- 1.5). Refeeding was done employing the same milk used in former times. AMIDRAL was used to dilute the milk when it was possible. Most important result is the increase of weight we had using this "supersolution". 15/20 children which received AMIDRAL showed an increase of their weight as shown in Tab. 1.