Marco Manfredi, Barbara Bizzarri and Gian Luigi de’Angelis
Abstract Background: Oral rehydration (OR) as therapy in pediatric gastroenteritis, although effective, is poorly accepted by parents because of it does not reduce the frequency of bowel movements and the loss of fluids from the gut nor shortens the duration of the disease. Racecadotril reduces secretions of intestinal fluids but it doesn’t inhibit the intestinal motility. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 61 children affected by mild acute gastroenteritis consecutively admitted to our Pediatric Service along two years (2009 to 2010). The children treated with Racecadotril plus OR were 26 and those treated with OR alone were 35. Results: Out of 35 children treated with Racecadotril+OR, 17 patients (65.4%) were discharged within twentyfour hours after admission because of a marked improvement in symptoms compared with the 14/35 patients (40.0%) of children treated with OR alone with statistically significant values (p<0.05). Children, converted to parenteral therapy due to the worsening of symptoms, were 26.9% and 42.9% in the OR+Racecadotril Group and in the OR Group respectively. We have had no side effects regarding the use of Racecadotril. Conclusions: Our hospital is a Primary Level Hospital and we often assess children at the beginning of their symptoms. This allows us to administer Racecadotril at the onset of diarrhoea. Our sample is small, but it shows that the early use of Racecadotril shortens the hospitalization and decreases the rate of conversion to parenteral rehydration therapy in children with mild gastroenteritis.