Abstract

BERNAL, Carlos; ALCARAZ, Gloria Margarita  and  BOTERO, Jorge Eliécer. Oral rehydration with a plantain flour-based solution precooked with standardized electrolytes . Biomédica [online]. 2005, vol.25, n.1, pp.11-21. ISSN 0120-4157.

Aim: To determine if oral rehydration with a precooked plantain flour-based solution with standardized electrolytes, in addition to being effective in treating dehydration, also has anti-diarrhoeal properties. Methods: 101 children were included, ranging in age from 1 to 48 months, presenting diarrhoea for less than one week from onset, with mild dehydration and no associated complications. 54 children received ORS/WHO; 47 children received a solution with electrolytes similar to ORS/WHO, containing 50 grams of precooked plantain flour instead of glucose (ORS/plantain). Results: Successful rehydration wass achieved in 94.4% of the children in the ORS/WHO group, and 91.5% in the ORS/plantain group (p=0.70). Required time for rehydration was 5.8 (SD: ±3.0) hours in the ORS/WHO group and 6.2 (SD: ±3.7) hours in the ORS/plantain group (p=0.31). Stool output during rehydration was 7.5 g/kg body weight/hour (SD: ±7.6) in the ORS/WHO group, and 7.05 g/kg/hour (SD: ±9.4) in the ORS/plantain group (p=0.78). There was no significant difference in the concentration of plasma sodium. The observation period was 22.3 hours (SD: ±5.3) for the ORS/WHO Group and 22.7 hours (SD: ±4.7) for the ORS/plantain Group; Stool output during the observation period was 5.7 g/kg/hour (SD: ±4.7) in the ORS/WHO group and 6.3 g/kg/hour (SD: ±7.9) in the ORS/plantain group (p=0.67). The proportion of children requiring intravenous fluids during the first 24 hours was 11.1% in the ORS/WHO group and 8.5% in the ORS/plantain group (RR: 1.31; 95% CI:0.39 - 4.35) Conclusion: The plantain flour-based solution is effective and safe in correcting dehydration. The present study was unable to establish an antidiarrhoeal effect of a plantain flour-based solution.

Keywords : Dehydration; infantile diarrhea; rehydration solutions; fluid therapy.

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