Pedialyte or Gatorade for Viral Gastroenteritis in Adults: a Randomized, Controlled Trial

Augusta University

Overview

Background: Pedialyte and Gatorade are advocated for the treatment of dehydration in viral gastroenteritis, but there is limited evidence to support their use. Objective: To examine the efficacy, safety and palatability of Pedialyte, Gatorade, and a New Oral Rehydration Solution (NS). Design: Randomized double blind. Setting: Inpatient, community hospital. Patients/Interventions: 75 consecutive adult patients (m/f=44/33) admitted with viral gastroenteritis were randomized to receive Gatorade, Pedialyte or NS for 48 hours. A yogurt/rice diet was allowed ad libitum. Measurements: Stool and urine output, electrolytes, fluid intake, body weight, hematocrit and palatability of solutions. Limitations: Smaller sample size and higher drop out (20%).

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Conditions

Gastroenteritis

Interventions

Gatorade, Pedialyte and New SolutionDRUG

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 19 YearsMax age: 80 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Subjects were included if they had mild-to-moderate diarrhea, with mildly sunken eyes and a clinical assessment of dehydration of less than 5%, a serum sodium concentration between 130-150 mEq/L, adequate general health and nutrition, a BUN/creatinine ratio of \>20 and with a normal pulse rate for age and degree of fever and adequate skin turgor Exclusion Criteria: * Patients were excluded if they had hyperthermia (\>39.0º C), serum sodium \>150 mEq/L or \<130 mEq/L, white cell count \>15,000, bloody diarrhea (dysentery), abnormal cardiovascular or renal function or an underlying metabolic or nutritional disorder and most importantly, if the clinical assessment of dehydration was \>7% that suggested a need for intravenous fluids.

Locations (1)

Dept. of Gastroenterology & Infectious Disease, Osmania Medical College

Hyderabad, India

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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