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Sorghum-based oral rehydration solution in the treatment of acute diarrhoea
R A Pelleboer1, A Felius, B S Goje
1Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Insights
Sorghum-based oral rehydration solution (ORS) offers a safe alternative for treating childhood diarrhea. This cereal-based ORS demonstrated comparable effectiveness to the WHO-recommended solution, with promising results in Nigerian children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
- Public Health
Background:
- Diarrhea remains a leading cause of childhood mortality globally, necessitating effective and accessible treatment options.
- Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a cornerstone of diarrhea management, but its availability and palatability can be challenging in resource-limited settings.
- Cereal-based ORS formulations are being explored as alternatives to traditional glucose-based solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a sorghum-based ORS compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) ORS in Nigerian children with diarrhea.
- To assess fluid intake, stool output, diarrhea duration, weight gain, and mortality rates between the two treatment groups.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 64 children aged 2.5 months to 5 years in a Nigerian hospital.
- Participants received either WHO-recommended ORS or a sorghum-based electrolyte solution (60 g/l sorghum powder).
- Children were monitored for treatment response, nutritional status, and adverse events.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in fluid intake, stool frequency, or diarrhea duration between the sorghum-ORS and WHO-ORS groups.
- Median weight gain was higher in the sorghum-ORS group (295 g) compared to the WHO-ORS group (155 g), although not statistically significant.
- Mortality was lower in the sorghum-ORS group (6%) versus the WHO-ORS group (17%).
- Sorghum-ORS was well-accepted and tolerated by the children.
Conclusions:
- Sorghum-based ORS is a safe and potentially effective alternative for treating diarrhea in children, particularly in resource-limited settings.
- The study suggests sorghum-ORS can be a viable option where traditional ORS may be less accessible or palatable.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these findings in larger populations.
Abstract:
Sixty four children between 2.5 months and 5 years of age were randomly treated in a country hospital in Jos, Nigeria, with either the oral rehydration solution (ORS) as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) or a cereal-based electrolyte solution, containing 60 g/l sorghum powder. Both groups were well comparable in many aspects, except for the nutritional status and the use of ORS before admission. In both aspects the sorghum-ORS group was at a disadvantage. During treatment there were no significant differences between the two groups in amount of fluid used, number of stools and duration of diarrhoea. Though weight gain in the two treatment groups was not significantly different, median weight gain in the sorghum-ORS group was 295 g, vs 155 in the WHO-ORS group. Seven children died, two (6%) in the sorghum-ORS group and five (17%) in the WHO-ORS group. Sorghum-ORS was well accepted and tolerated. This study suggests that sorghum-ORS can safely be used as an alternative in the treatment of diarrhoea.