Hydrolysed wheatbasedoral rehydration solution for acutediarrhoea

SUMMARY A randomised three cell study was carried outin78children withacutediarrhoea to evaluate therelative efficacy oforalrehydration solution (ORS)madefrompartially hydrolysed wheatgrain, cookedricepowder, or glucose. Twentysixpatients withcomparable age, body weight, duration ofdiarrhoea, anddegree ofdehydration were studied ineachofthethree groups.Initial rehydration was carried outbyusing intravenous Dhakasolution within one totwo hours followed byadministration oforalrehydration solution. Themean ORS intake during the first andsecond24hoursoftreatmentinpatients withcholera receiving wheat-ORSand rice-ORS was significantly less compared withthosereceiving glucose-ORS. Thestool output during thesame period inpatients receiving wheat-ORSandrice-ORS was significantly less compared withthose receiving glucose-ORS. Similar trends inbothORS intake andstool output were observed during thenext24hours.