Cochrane Review calls for more R&D on ORS

Newer polymer-based formulations of oral rehydration solution given to treat diarrhea may offer some benefits over older sugar-salt  formulations, according to a Cochrane Review of recent studies. But the  authors note that more research is required to establish the best  treatment option.

Acute diarrhea is a major cause of childhood death in developing  countries, and is treated with oral rehydration solutions. While ORS  formulations have traditionally contained sugar and salt, new  formulations have been tested that replace the sugar with  sugar-containing poly-mers from rice, wheat, sorghum and maize.

The review focused on 27 trials that included 4,214 participants and  indicated that polymer-based ORS reduced the time that cholera patients  suffered from diarrhea. Polymer-based ORS also decreased the need to  give patients intravenous fluid compared to previous,  higher-concentration sugar-salt solutions, but evidence was limited for  the comparison with less concentrated salt solutions, which are  currently recommended.