Table 1. Characteristics of the Patients at Baseline.
| Characteristic | Fluid therapy, mean (SD)a | |
|---|---|---|
| Isotonic (n = 308) | Moderately hypotonic (n = 306) | |
| Age, y | 4.0 (3.1) | 4.1 (3.1) |
| Female, No. (%) | 147 (48) | 152 (50) |
| Weight, kg | 17 (9) | 17 (9) |
| Dehydration, No. (%) | 1.7 (3.4) | 1.5 (2.9) |
| Plasma, mmol/L | ||
| Sodium | 138 (2.8) | 138 (2.6) |
| Potassium | 4.1 (0.4) | 4.1 (0.5) |
| pH | 7.4 (0.06) | 7.4 (0.06) |
| Bicarbonate | 22 (4.0) | 22 (3.7) |
| Base excess | −2.6 (3.6) | −2.5 (3.4) |
| Coexisting illness, No. (%) | ||
| None | 262 (85) | 258 (84) |
| Asthma | 17 (6) | 15 (5) |
| Neurodevelopmental disorder | 9 (3) | 7 (2) |
| Other | 20 (6) | 26 (9) |
| Acute illness, No. (%) | ||
| Respiratory infection | 109 (35) | 98 (32) |
| Pneumonia | 55 (18) | 53 (17) |
| Empyema | 3 (1) | 2 (1) |
| Viral wheezing | 33 (11) | 27 (8) |
| Other | 21 (7) | 22 (7) |
| Gastroenteritis, No. (%) | 84 (27) | 81 (26) |
| Norovirus | 16 (5) | 9 (3) |
| Rotavirus | 21 (7) | 13 (4) |
| Adenovirus | 7 (2) | 3 (1) |
| Campylobacter | 1 (0) | 0 (0) |
| EHEC | 0 (0) | 1 (0) |
| Pyelonephritis | 18 (6) | 15 (5) |
| Sepsis | 1 (0) | 4 (1) |
| Other infections | ||
| Bacterial | 20 (6) | 24 (8) |
| Viral | 27 (9) | 31 (10) |
| Neurologic illness | 9 (3) | 10 (3) |
| Febrile seizure | 1 (0) | 2 (1) |
| Surgical illness | 15 (5) | 20 (7) |
| Appendicitis | 7 (2) | 9 (3) |
| Miscellaneous | 25 (8) | 23 (8) |
| Other treatments, No. (%) | ||
| Fluid bolus, 10-20 mL/kg at ED | 77 (25) | 79 (26) |
| Admission to PICU from ED | 3 (1) | 6 (2) |
| Need for anesthesia or sedationb | 36 (12) | 37 (12) |
Abbreviations: ED, emergency department; EHEC, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; PICU, pediatric intensive care unit.
a
Values are expressed as mean (SD) unless otherwise specified.
b
MRI, chest tube, joint puncture, or appendectomy.