What is the role of oral rehydration solution (ORS) for acute infectious diarrhea?
- ORS has revolutionized the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea worldwide.
- ORS takes advantage of the fact that sodium and glucose are cotransported in the jejunum, a mechanism unaffected by pathologic increases in intestinal secretion that leads to enhanced water absorption.
- The use of World Health Organization ORS has been shown in numerous trials to decrease morbidity in adults and both morbidity and mortality in children.
- Head-to-head trials show ORS to be equivalent to IV hydration for acute gastroenteritis therapy in children.
- Because it decreases diarrheal volume, the low hypoosmolar ORS is preferred.
