POINT OF ADMISSION SERUM ELECTROLYTE PROFILE CHILDREN PRESENTING WITH DEHYDRATION SECONDARY TO ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS

Abstract

Background: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children, particularly in developing countries. It is defined as a sudden increase in stool frequency and/or decrease in consistency lasting less than two weeks (Elliott, 2007). Globally, approximately 1.7 billion episodes of acute diarrhea occur annually, resulting in nearly 700,000 deaths among children fewer than five years (Parashar et al., 2003). Electrolyte disturbances are common in children presenting with dehydration secondary to AGE and may lead to serious complications if not promptly recognized (Okposio et al., 2015; Babar & Sanaullah, 2016). Objective: To determine the serum electrolyte profile at admission in children presenting with dehydration secondary to acute gastroenteritis. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, Bolan Medical College Hospital, over six months. A total of 149 children aged 1–14 years with dehydration due to AGE were enrolled using consecutive sampling. Serum sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate levels were measured at admission. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, while qualitative variables were presented as frequencies and percentages. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the children was 5.8 ± 3.2 years. Of the 149 patients, 87 (58.4%) were male and 62 (41.6%) were female. Electrolyte abnormalities were observed in 92 (61.7%) children at admission. Hypernatremia was the most common abnormality, present in 54 (36.2%) patients, followed by hypokalemia in 43 (28.9%) patients. Hypernatremia and hyperkalemia were observed in 7 (4.7%) and 5 (3.4%) patients, respectively. Metabolic acidosis (low bicarbonate levels) was identified in 48 (32.2%) children. A statistically significant association was found between severity of dehydration and presence of electrolyte imbalance (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Electrolyte disturbances are common at the time of admission in children with dehydration secondary to acute gastroenteritis, with hypernatremia being the most frequent abnormality. Early identification of these disturbances is essential for appropriate fluid management and improved clinical outcomes