Efficacy of precooked Rrice-ORs and Glucose-ORs to treat acute watery diarrhoea of children in Bangladesh

Abstract

OBJECTIVES : The objectives of the study are to treat acute watery diarrhea of children with precooked Rice-ORS and standard Glucose-ORS and to compare their efficacy interms of recovery by day 3 and some secondary outcomes. STUDY DESIGN : This is a randomized controlled trial to study on 4-59 months old children. METHODOLOGY : The study is implemented in the hospital of Institute of Child Health, Bangladesh, Dhaka for 1st 3 month in 1996. After meeting screening, 64 subjects with acute watery diarrhea are randomly included in each group. Then 4 nurses prepare and feed respective ORS solution with equal feeding encouragement. The cases are followed up to 72 hours. Four doctors monitor the cases and record the outcome variables. RESULTS : Baseline confounders are similar for both groups. A significantly (P:<.005) more cases on Pc.R-ORS are recovered (82.8%) as opposed to G0ORS (60.9%). The study observed that less intake of ORS solution, more food intake, less stool output, less purging rate, earlier formed stool, better rehydration and more weight gain are for Pc.R-ORS than G-ORS. COMMENTS : The result of the study will help to replace the currently available raw R-ORS in Bangladesh and will have a profound implication in the primary health care strategy.