project work
New formulation of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) with reduced osmolarityFebruary 2004
1
“New ORS” Q&A
1. Why has a “New” Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) formula been developed?
Two decades ago, diarrhoea was responsible for about 5 million deaths annually. Through programs that distribute and promote ORS and home treatments for dehydration as well as preventive interventions, deaths have decreased to about 2 million. In spite of this success, there remains criticism from health workers and mothers that the original ORS solution did not stop diarrhoea or reduce the duration of the episode. This is why, during the past 20 years, research has been undertaken to develop an “improved” ORS that would be safe and effective for treating or preventing dehydration in all types of diarrhoea, and would also have other clinical benefits when compared with standard ORS.
The study results clearly describe the advantages of this new reduced osmolarity ORS solution in treating children with acute diarrhoea:
1. It reduces stool output or stool volume by about 25% when compared to the original WHOUNICEF ORS solution,
2. It reduces vomiting by almost 30%,
3. It reduces the need for unscheduled IV therapy by more than 30%.
This last advantage is particularly important because this means less hospitalisation, and therefore less risk of hospital acquired infections, less disruption of breastfeeding, decreased use of needles
(which remains a strong advantage especially in high HIV prevalence contexts), less cost, and in areas where IV therapy is not readily available less risk of dying of diarrhoea.
2. Why “reduced osmolarity”?
Studies have shown that the efficacy of ORS for treatment of children with acute diarrhoea is improved by reducing its sodium concentration to 75 mEq/l, its glucose concentration to 75 mmol/l, and its total osmolarity to 245 mOsm/l. This compares to the original solution which contained 90 mEq/l of sodium with a total osmolarity of 311 mOsm/l.
1
“New ORS” Q&A
1. Why has a “New” Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) formula been developed?
Two decades ago, diarrhoea was responsible for about 5 million deaths annually. Through programs that distribute and promote ORS and home treatments for dehydration as well as preventive interventions, deaths have decreased to about 2 million. In spite of this success, there remains criticism from health workers and mothers that the original ORS solution did not stop diarrhoea or reduce the duration of the episode. This is why, during the past 20 years, research has been undertaken to develop an “improved” ORS that would be safe and effective for treating or preventing dehydration in all types of diarrhoea, and would also have other clinical benefits when compared with standard ORS.
The study results clearly describe the advantages of this new reduced osmolarity ORS solution in treating children with acute diarrhoea:
1. It reduces stool output or stool volume by about 25% when compared to the original WHOUNICEF ORS solution,
2. It reduces vomiting by almost 30%,
3. It reduces the need for unscheduled IV therapy by more than 30%.
This last advantage is particularly important because this means less hospitalisation, and therefore less risk of hospital acquired infections, less disruption of breastfeeding, decreased use of needles
(which remains a strong advantage especially in high HIV prevalence contexts), less cost, and in areas where IV therapy is not readily available less risk of dying of diarrhoea.
2. Why “reduced osmolarity”?
Studies have shown that the efficacy of ORS for treatment of children with acute diarrhoea is improved by reducing its sodium concentration to 75 mEq/l, its glucose concentration to 75 mmol/l, and its total osmolarity to 245 mOsm/l. This compares to the original solution which contained 90 mEq/l of sodium with a total osmolarity of 311 mOsm/l.