Sodium balance during acute diarrhoea in malnourished children.

Forty-six male children 12-59 months old (27 malnourished and 19 with normal nutrition) admitted for acute water diarrhoea of less than 48 hours' duration were studied. Using a metabolic balance and separate collections of urine and stools over each 6-hour period, balance studies were carried out up to 48 hours. Blood, stool, and urine samples were analysed for sodium and potassium levels. Serum cortisol levels were determined using radio-immunoassay in a subsample of six normal and five malnourished children. Malnourished children lost more sodium in their stools and urine during diarrhoea, so that they had significantly diminished gut net sodium balance and significantly diminished total body sodium balance. Significantly higher levels of serum cortisol were observed initially on admission among children with malnutrition. This study demonstrated that malnourished children had poorer sodium balance during acute diarrhoea.