Acute diarrhea in infants and young children – 3 years study

Abstract

Introduction and aim. Acute diarrhea is the most common gastrointestinal disease in infants and young children. It is defined as an increase in the number of stools, watery, as a result of disruption of water and electrolytes transport in the gastrointestinal lumen and of the accelerated transit. Our study was retrospective, case-control type and tried to determine the cumulative risk factors underlying the emergence and evolution of diarrheal disease in infants and small children. Material and method. We studied a group of 197 children, with the age between 0-4 years, from „Sf. Maria“ Emergency Children’s Hospital from Iasi, which presented with acute diarrhea. Results. The bacterial etiology was confirmed in 44 cases. The most common germ involved was Campylobacter jejuni (27 cases). 31% of children had different degrees of dystrophy. In most cases (76%), the dehydration was isonatremic. Conclusions. In the acute diarrheal disease, dehydration remains the worst to fear consequence of this disease, but with an adequate attitude that includes restoring fluid and electrolyte balance and proper nutrition, diarrheal episode limits itself to an interval approximately of 72 hours.