Pedialyte or Gatorade for Viral Gastroenteritis in Adults: a Randomized, Controlled Trial

Background: Pedialyte and Gatorade are advocated for the treatment of dehydration in viral gastroenteritis, but there is limited evidence to support their use.

Objective: To examine the efficacy, safety and palatability of Pedialyte, Gatorade, and a New Oral Rehydration Solution (NS).

Design: Randomized double blind. Setting: Inpatient, community hospital. Patients/Interventions: 75 consecutive adult patients (m/f=44/33) admitted with viral gastroenteritis were randomized to receive Gatorade, Pedialyte or NS for 48 hours. A yogurt/rice diet was allowed ad libitum.

Measurements: Stool and urine output, electrolytes, fluid intake, body weight, hematocrit and palatability of solutions.

Limitations: Smaller sample size and higher drop out (20%).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects were included if they had mild-to-moderate diarrhea, with mildly sunken eyes and a clinical assessment of dehydration of less than 5%, a serum sodium concentration between 130-150 mEq/L, adequate general health and nutrition, a BUN/creatinine ratio of >20 and with a normal pulse rate for age and degree of fever and adequate skin turgor

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients were excluded if they had hyperthermia (>39.0º C), serum sodium >150 mEq/L or <130 mEq/L, white cell count >15,000, bloody diarrhea (dysentery), abnormal cardiovascular or renal function or an underlying metabolic or nutritional disorder and most importantly, if the clinical assessment of dehydration was >7% that suggested a need for intravenous fluids.