Maintenance Intravenous Fluid in Hospitalized Children: A Randomized, Double Blind, Controlled Trial of 0.9% NACL/Dextrose 5% Vs. 0.45% NACL/Dextrose 5%

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESES A.i. Research Problem: There are currently no standardized guidelines for the administration of maintenance saline IV fluids for hospitalized children at Sick Kids or in the literature. This will be the first prospective trial comparing hypotonic versus isotonic intravenous (IV) maintenance fluids in children. Additionally we will generate pilot data which will form the basis for an external grant proposal for a large scale randomized clinical trial to definitively examine the question of the most appropriate tonicity for paediatric IV maintenance solutions. Such a study would require a dichotomous outcome measure (dysnatremia: yes vs no). Given a baseline occurrence rate estimated at less than 10% in those receiving hypotonic fluids, over 1000 patients would be required. The impact and significance of our work is that it has the potential to guide the choice of IV maintenance fluids used in children internationally to decrease the morbidity and mortality currently seen as a result of dysnatremias in these children.