Open AccessMALNOURISHED CHILDREN WITH DIARRHEA
Author(s) -
Arif Zulqarnain,
Zeeshan Jaffar,
Imran Iqbal
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the professional medical journal/the professional medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2071-7733
pISSN - 1024-8919
DOI - 10.29309/tpmj/2015.22.05.1275
Subject(s) - medicine , diarrhea , hypokalemia , pediatrics , malnutrition , inclusion and exclusion criteria , diarrheal diseases , cross sectional study , alternative medicine , pathology
Objectives: “To assess the frequency of serum electrolytes (Na+, K+ & Ca+)disturbances in malnourished children with diarrhea”. Study Design: Cross-sectional.Setting: Pediatrics Department Nishtar Hospital Multan. Period: 01-07-2013 to 31-12-2013.Methodology: Approval from the institutional ethical committee was taken. Malnourishedchildren with diarrhea admitted to Pediatrics Department Nishtar Hospital Multan wereregistered. Children meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria enrolled in the study. Results:In this study there were 90 patients which were found to be malnourished and having diarrhea.The average age of patients was 3.28±1.2 years and the average duration of diarrhea was4.67±0.821 days. There were 58(64.4%) males and 32(35.5%) female patients. Hyponatremiawas present in 28(31.1%) patients, Hypokalemia was present in 55(61.1%) while Hypocalcemiawas present in 12(13.3%).Conclusion: Serum electrolyte disturbances in malnourished childrenare obvious during diarrheal illness particularly in those patients with Grade III malnutrition andmeasurement of these Serum electrolytes is helpful for immediate therapy to avoid serious lifethreatening situations.