Predictors of Dehydration in Diarrheal Patients

To investigate the predictive factors for dehydration in acute diarrheal patients, this case control study was conducted using the observational analytic method. Acute diarrheal patients who were admitted to the Hospital and Outpatient Pediatric Clinic, Dr Soetomo Hospital, were included in this study. By discriminant analysis, three significant variables were determined to differentiate dehydration risk in acute diarrheal patients: frequency of stool, amount of feces in the stool, and severity of vomiting (power test: 70.0%). Significant differences were found between the groups with and without dehydration for stool frequency each day (p<0.05), amount of stool per day (p<0.05), and severity of vomiting (p<0.05).Frequency of stool, amount of stool, and severity of vomiting are predictive factors for dehydration in acute diarrhea. before dehydration has set in. It is very important to know, in the early stage of diarrheal disease, the development of dehydration as a consequence of losing water and electrolytes (Victora et al, 1990; Duggan et al, 1996; Zodpey et al, 1998; 1999). The purpose of this study was to analyze clinical signs and symptoms that might be used as predictors of dehydration in children aged 124 months with acute diarrhea, ie frequency of stool, consistency of stool, amount of stool, presence of blood in the stool, mucous appearance in the stool, frequency of vomiting, duration of vomiting, severity of vomiting, amount of vomitus, pyrexia, tympanites, thirst and appetite. MATERIALS AND METHODS