Sagodana based verses rice based oral rehydration solution in the management of acute diarrhoea in Pakistani children.

This study was carried out to compare the efficacy of a cereal based ORS (prepared with 50 G of sagodana (cereal), 3.5 G/L sodium chloride, 1.5 G/L potassium chloride, 2.9 G/L trisodium citrate) with rice based oral rehydration solution (using same amounts of rice and electrolytes) for treatment of diarrhoea. One hundred and twelve children aged 3 months to 2 years with watery diarrhoea of less than 5 days duration with mild to moderate dehydration and no sepsis, were included in the study. The amount of ORS intake, stool volume and frequency were similar in both groups. Clinical success was seen in 79% of rice ORS group and 81% in sagodana group. Both can be used as a cereal based ORS in the management of acute diarrhoea in communities where it is culturally accepted and used as a weaning diet.