NEW METHOD FOR PREDICTING THE NEED FOR INTRAVENOUS REHYDRATION IN CHILDREN WITH ROTAVIRUS GASTROENTERITIS IN HOSPITAL SETTINGS
Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization of children under 5 years of age worldwide. Oral rehydration is first-line therapy in AGE due to the main symptoms of the disease: diarrhea and vomiting resulting in dehydration. In accordance with WHO guidelines, children with mild to moderate dehydration require exclusively oral rehydration therapy, while severe dehydration is an absolute indication for parenteral rehydration. Some children with mild dehydration, however, may require parenteral rehydration due to uncontrollable vomiting, refusal of drinking and/or ongoing diarrhea, which is not always possible to predict at the time of the child’s admission to hospital, and to evaluate by available scales. The article presents the results of study aimed to the development of predictive scale for assessing the need for parenteral rehydration in AGE. The previously created Vesikari scale for the retrospective assessment of the AGE severity was basis for this tool. The developed rating scale for need for parenteral rehydration in acute period produced satisfactory results in the selection of the method of rehydration, especially in children with moderate dehydration. The use of this scale will help to reduce the duration of hospitalization due to timely appointment of parenteral rehydration.