8/13/2019 Folic Acid in the Treatment of Acute Watery Diarrhoea in Children

1/2

Folic acid in the treatment of acute watery diarrhoea in children: a double-blind, randomized,

controlled trial

D Mahalanabis 1H Ashraf 2MM Rahman 2GJ Fuchs 21Society for Applied Studies, Calcutta, India 2International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease

Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh

Correspondence to H Ashraf, Clinical Sciences Division, ICDDR, B, Mohakhali, Dhaka1212, Bangladesh

Copyright 1998 Scandinavian University Press

KEYWORDS

Acute watery diarrhoea children folic acid

ABSTRACT

One-hundred and six male children aged 6-23 months with a history of acute watery

diarrhoea of less than 72 h duration were randomized to receive either folic acid in a dose of

5 mg at 8-h intervals or placebo for 5 d. There were 54 children in the folic acid group and 52in the placebo group. The admission characteristics were comparable between the two

groups. No significant differences were observed in the intake of oral rehydration solution or

stool output between the groups. The mean SD of total stool output (g kg1) was 532 476

vs 479 354 and the duration (h) of diarrhoea was 108 68 vs 103 53 in the folic acid vs

placebo group, respectively. The findings, therefore, should have a positive influence on

preventing the inappropriate use of folic acid in acute diarrhoea.

Received Oct. 13, 1997. Accepted in revised form Aug. 3, 1998

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Giardiasis: haematological status and the absorption of vitamin B12and folic acid

Karsten Hjelt 1, Anders Prregaard 1Peter A Krasilnikoff 11

Department of Paediatrics, University of Copenhagen, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup,Denmark

Correspondence to Department of Neonatology, University of Copenhagen, GN 5024,

Rigshospitalet, Belgdamsvej, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

Copyright 1992 Taylor & Francis

KEYWORDS

Giardia lamblia folic acid absorption iron vitamin B12absorption

ABSTRACT

The haematological status, as well as the fractional absorptions of folic acid (FAFol) andvitamin B12(FAB12) were studied in 29 children aged 0.713.5 years (mean 3.3 years) with

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&index=1&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&index=1&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&index=1&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&index=1&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&index=1&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&index=1&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&index=1&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/search/allsearch?mode=viewselected&product=journal&ID=119942456&ID=119986693&ID=121403351&ID=121403349&ID=120855000&ID=120854994&ID=119926639&ID=118796868&ID=109901816&ID=109901113&ID=109609675&view_selected.x=51&view_selected.y=4&view_selected=view_selected#c1

8/13/2019 Folic Acid in the Treatment of Acute Watery Diarrhoea in Children

2/2

chronic diarrhoea due to giardiasis. Small intestinal biopsies revealed mucosal damage in 20

children; the biopsies of the remaining nine children were normal. At the initial investigation

the FAFol and FAB12values were below normal in approximately one-sixth and one-third of

patients, respectively. Bacterial overgrowth of the small intestinal tract did not seem to play a

role in FAB12malabsorption. About one-fifth of patients had mild anaemia. None of the

patients showed FAB12insufficiency and only one patient suffered from folate depletion. Atfollow-up, FAFol, FAB12, haemoglobin and Erc-folate concentrations increased significantly

while P-B12and P-folate remained unchanged. Iron status, as well as dietary intake of iron,

appeared insufficient prior to, as well as after treatment. Serum iron, transferrin saturation

and haemoglobin concentrations were lower in patients who had acquired the disease abroad

or suffered from persistent diarrhoea.

Submitted May 28, 1990. Accepted Dec. 30, 1990