A higher level of ketonaemia does not predict oral rehydration failure in vomiting paediatric patients and routine measurement is unnecessary.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study determined if blood levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate were associated with the rate of failure in oral rehydration in paediatric patients with vomiting. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study that was carried out from December 1, 2015 to November 30, 2016 in the Rio Hortega University Hospital, Valladolid, Spain. The study cohort were patients up to 14 years old who attended the emergency department with three or more vomiting episodes in the last four hours and glycaemia higher than 45 mg/dL. Blood was measured for beta-hydroxybutyrate levels prior to the administration of oral rehydration solution for 90 minutes. Two or more vomiting episodes during this period were considered failed oral rehydration. RESULTS: We analysed 248 patients, with a median age of four years and 7.5 months and 233 (94%) of the parents took part. The median number of vomiting episodes in the previous four hours was five and oral rehydration was successful in 183 (78.5%) patients. The multivariate analysis showed that the initial beta-hydroxybutyrate blood level was not associated with the failure of oral rehydration. CONCLUSION: Blood levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate had no predictive value for oral rehydration failure in young patients with vomiting and this routine measurement is unnecessary.