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Sucrose at Triage for Acute Gastroenteritis Episode in Children

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Gastroenteritis Acute
Vomiting
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: sucrose
Dietary Supplement: Standard rehydration solution
Registration Number
NCT05378776
Lead Sponsor
Jocelyn Gravel
Brief Summary

Background: Acute viral gastroenteritis is a very common pediatric medical condition that results in a large number of emergency department (ED) visits. Fasting-induced ketosis has been suggested to contribute to nausea and vomiting in children with VGE. To date, there is no data on the impact of oral sucrose intake during oral rehydration.

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of providing a sucrose solution at triage to young children with suspected acute viral gastroenteritis on the amount of rehydration solution intake in the first 2 hours. We will also assess the proportion of discharge after initial medical evaluation, the proportion of oral rehydration failure, the number of vomiting episodes per patient, ondansetron administration, the time between the intervention and ED discharge, the time between the first medical contact and ED discharge and return visits within 48 hours.

Methods:

This study will be a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Recruitment will take place in a tertiary pediatric ED. Participants will be all children who present to the ED with suspected acute acute viral gastroenteritis with at least three vomiting in the previous 24 hours. The intervention will consist in giving 1.5 ml/kg of a sucrose solution composed of diluted juice with added table sugar (3.5g of sucrose/10 ml) compared with 1.5 ml/kg of diluted juice (0.5g of sucrose/10 mL, standard of care in our ED). Following that, all participants will be rehydrated with 15 mL of diluted juice every 15 minutes or more if tolerated. The primary outcome will be the amount of rehydration solution (ml) absorbed in the first two hours following intervention. Secondary outcomes will include disposition after initial medical evaluation, oral rehydration failure, the number of vomiting, ondansetron administration, the time between the intervention and ED discharge, the time between the first medical contact and ED discharge and return visits within 48 hours. The primary analysis will be the difference in the amount of tolerated oral rehydration between the two groups. Based on a preliminary study of children suffering from VGE, it was estimated that the recruitment of 238 participants would provide a power of 80% to identify a difference of 15 ml between the two groups.

Expected results:

We hope that this study will demonstrate that an oral sucrose solution given at triage to children presenting with symptoms compatible with acute acute viral gastroenteritis promotes oral hydration and consequently increases the total amount of rehydration solution tolerated by children.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
240
Inclusion Criteria
  • Children aged 6 months to 6 years. We will restrict to this age group to have a more homogenous group.
  • At least 3 non-bilious, non-bloody, vomiting in the last 24 hours
  • No other diagnostic more likely than acute viral gastroenteritis suspected at triage
Exclusion Criteria
  • Severe dehydration (based on poor capillary refill or hypotension)
  • Hypoglycemia identified by the triage nurse (< 2,8 mmol)
  • Bilious or bloody vomiting
  • Chronic disease other than asthma
  • Previous inclusion in the study
  • Inability to obtain parental informed consent (language barrier, absence, etc.)

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
SucrosesucroseThe experimental arm will receive 1.5 ml/kg of the sucrose solution at triage (once). The composition of the homemade sucrose solution used in our emergency department is 3.5 g of table sugar (sucrose) mixed with 10 ml of diluted juice (see standard arm description) to obtain a solution with the same appearance as the standard arm.
ControlStandard rehydration solutionThis group will receive 1.5 mL/kg of diluted juice composed of juice (apple or orange) and water in equal proportion once at triage. This solution contains 0.05 g/ml of sucrose for a total of 0.075 g/kg of sucrose (eight times less than the intervention arm).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Mean amount of tolerated oral rehydration in mL2 hours after intervention

The total amount of rehydration solution tolerated during the two hours following intervention. This will be the amount of solution absorbed by the child without vomiting. In case of vomiting, the amount of solution absorbed will be the amount of solution tolerated after vomiting. In the few situations when the children will be discharged from the ED before two hours, we will collect the amount of solution tolerated before discharge.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Number of participants who needed an observation2 hours

Patient who are not immediately discharged by the treating physician after the first evaluation

Mean number of vomiting6 hours

Number of vomiting episode per patient during ED stay

Number of participants who received ondansetron6 hours

Number of patients who received ondansetron during ED stay

Mean length of stay24 hours

The time between the intervention and ED discharge

Number of participants who had a return visit48 hours

return visit to the ED

Number of participants with oral rehydration failure6 hours

Patient who need an intravenous rehydration during ED stay

Mean length of stay after physician evaluation24 hours

The time between the first evaluation by a physician and ED discharge

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Sainte-Justine Hospital

🇨🇦

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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