ROLE OF ORAL ONDANSETRON AS AN ADJUCNT TO ORAL REHYDRATION THERAPY IN ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS

Objective: To evaluate the role of oral ondansetron as an effective measure to facilitate oral rehydration in acute gastroenteritis.Study Design: Randomized controlled trail.Place and Duration of Study: Army medical college, Military hospital Rawalpindi, from Mar 2017 to Sep 2017.Material and Methods: One hundred and forty children with clinical diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis with mild to moderate dehydration were randomized into two equal groups. Group 1 was treated according to the WHO criteria with only ORS in a dose of 75ml/kg body weight. Group 2 received ondansetron before ORS as a single oral dose of 0.2mg/kg body weight.Results: The difference between improvement in drinking ability and hydration status between the two groups was highly significant (p<0.001).Conclusion: Ondansetron markedly improved the hydration status and drinking ability of the children by reducing nausea and vomiting.