Pediatric nephrology : journal of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association
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Editorial Comment Review
Improving intravenous fluid therapy in children with gastroenteritis.
Gastroenteritis is one of the most common medical conditions seen by pediatricians. The standard approach to intravenous fluid therapy for these children has been to administer a 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) bolus followed by a hypotonic solution ranging from 0.2-0.45% NaCl to replace the remaining deficit plus maintenance. We have questioned the safety of this approach as there have been reports of death or permanent neurologic impairment from hyponatremic encephalopathy. ⋯ Hypotonic fluids are not appropriate for rehydration in patients with gastroenteritis as it is a state of arginine vasopressin (AVP) excess due to both hemodynamic stimuli from volume depletion and non-hemodynamic stimuli such as nausea and vomiting. Free water will be retained until the volume deficit is corrected and the hemodynamic stimulus for AVP production abates. A safer and more effective approach is the administration of 0.9% NaCl in a continuous infusion following bolus therapy. 0.9% NaCl not only serves as prophylaxis against hyponatremia, but it is superior to hypotonic fluids as an extracellular volume expander and corrects the volume deficit more rapidly.
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Comparative Study
Incidence of hyponatremia in children with gastroenteritis treated with hypotonic intravenous fluids.
Hypotonic saline solutions have been used for over five decades to treat children with diarrheal dehydration. However, concern has recently been raised about the potential for iatrogenic hyponatremia as a result of this therapy. We reviewed the medical records of 531 otherwise healthy children with gastroenteritis who had been admitted to the hospital for intravenous fluid therapy. ⋯ There was no significant difference in type, rate, or amount of intravenous fluid or saline bolus (26.1 +/- 10.4 vs. 20.2 +/- 8.6 ml/kg, respectively) administered in these two groups. Children who became hyponatremic were older (5.8 +/- 2.7 years) than those who remained isonatremic (2.8 +/- 3.1 years) (p < 0.0005), but there was no statistical difference in gender, degree of dehydration, and severity of metabolic acidosis between the two groups. Although serum Na increased by 3.9 +/- 2.5 mEq/l in 19 patients with mild hyponatremia upon admission (Na 132.8 +/- 1.3 to 136.7 +/- 2.6 mEq/l) and 73% of these became isonatremic, hypotonic saline solutions have the potential to cause hyponatremia in children with gastroenteritis and isonatremic dehydration.