Biomaterial Database

Effect of loperamide on stool output and duration of acute infectious diarrhea in infants. 1990

C Motala, and I D Hill, and M D Mann, and M D Bowie

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

This study was designed to assess the effect of loperamide, given to infants in higher than recommended doses, on the severity and duration of acute diarrhea. Thirty infants with acute diarrhea and dehydration were given loperamide (0.8 mg/kg/day), in addition to standard fluid therapy, for 48 hours after admission to the hospital. The stool output in grams per kilograms of body weight per day and the duration of diarrhea in these infants were compared with those in 30 matched control infants receiving only standard fluid therapy. Two infants given loperamide had to be withdrawn from the trial because ileus developed in one and the other had persistent severe vomiting. In four other infants receiving loperamide, drowsiness developed but resolved rapidly on discontinuation of the drug. Infants receiving loperamide had a shorter duration of diarrhea (median 2.5 vs 6.0 days) and lower daily stool output than the control subjects had. The study confirmed the efficacy of loperamide in reducing the duration and severity of diarrhea but raised doubts regarding its safety in the treatment of young infants.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008139	Loperamide	One of the long-acting synthetic ANTIDIARRHEALS; it is not significantly absorbed from the gut, and has no effect on the adrenergic system or central nervous system, but may antagonize histamine and interfere with acetylcholine release locally.	Imodium,Loperamide Hydrochloride,Loperamide Monohydrochloride,R-18553,Hydrochloride, Loperamide,Monohydrochloride, Loperamide,R 18553,R18553
D008297	Male		Males
D010880	Piperidines	A family of hexahydropyridines.
D003968	Diarrhea, Infantile	DIARRHEA occurring in infants from newborn to 24-months old.	Infantile Diarrhea,Diarrheas, Infantile,Infantile Diarrheas
D004341	Drug Evaluation	Any process by which toxicity, metabolism, absorption, elimination, preferred route of administration, safe dosage range, etc., for a drug or group of drugs is determined through clinical assessment in humans or veterinary animals.	Evaluation Studies, Drug,Drug Evaluation Studies,Drug Evaluation Study,Drug Evaluations,Evaluation Study, Drug,Evaluation, Drug,Evaluations, Drug,Studies, Drug Evaluation,Study, Drug Evaluation
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D005440	Fluid Therapy	Therapy whose basic objective is to restore the volume and composition of the body fluids to normal with respect to WATER-ELECTROLYTE BALANCE. Fluids may be administered intravenously, orally, by intermittent gavage, or by HYPODERMOCLYSIS.	Oral Rehydration Therapy,Rehydration,Rehydration, Oral,Oral Rehydration,Rehydration Therapy, Oral,Therapy, Fluid,Therapy, Oral Rehydration,Fluid Therapies,Oral Rehydration Therapies,Oral Rehydrations,Rehydration Therapies, Oral,Rehydrations,Rehydrations, Oral,Therapies, Fluid,Therapies, Oral Rehydration
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000284	Administration, Oral	The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth.	Drug Administration, Oral,Administration, Oral Drug,Oral Administration,Oral Drug Administration,Administrations, Oral,Administrations, Oral Drug,Drug Administrations, Oral,Oral Administrations,Oral Drug Administrations