The management of persistent diarrhoea at Dhaka Hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research: a clinical chart review

AbstractBackground: Persistent diarrhoea (PD) is poorly recognised and it requires proper assessment and early intervention to ensure effective treatment. The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) has been managing children with PD for more than two decades. This review focuses on different aspects of the management of PD in a hospital setting.Aim: To estimate the prevalence, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment outcome and hospital course in under-5 children with persistent diarrhoea (PD).Methods: The hospital records of all children under 5 years admitted with PD to Dhaka Hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research between January 2012 and December 2013 were reviewed. Data were retrieved from the hospital’s electronic database.Results: Of 8638 children under 5 years of age admitted with diarrhoea, 551 (6.4%) had PD and one-third had developed PD during their hospital stay. The incidence of PD was highest (228, 41.4%) in s...