African trial questions emergency treatment of children in shock
Friday, May 27, 2011 - 10:31
in Health & Medicine
Giving fluids rapidly through a drip into a vein (fluid resuscitation) as an emergency treatment for African children suffering with shock from severe infections does not save lives, according to a major clinical trial funded by the Medical Research Council. The ground-breaking research showed that giving children fluids slowly to replace the needs of a sick child who cannot drink, rather than rapid fluid resuscitation, is safer and more effective in aiding recovery. These findings challenge current World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on how best to provide fluids to children in Africa with fever and shock caused by malaria, sepsis and other infections.