Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.  2019 Sep;22(5):431-440. 10.5223/pghn.2019.22.5.431.

Management of Acute Gastroenteritis in Children: A Survey among Members of the Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition

• Seo JH
• Shim JO
• Choe BH
• Moon JS
• Kang KS
• Chung JY

• KMID: 2457744
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2019.22.5.431

Abstract

PURPOSE
No national survey has yet described the guidelines followed by Korean pediatricians to treat acute gastroenteritis (AGE). An online survey was performed to investigate the management of AGE followed by members of The Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and the results were compared between pediatric gastroenterologists (PG) and general pediatricians (GP).
METHODS
Questionnaires were sent to pediatricians between June 2 and 4, 2018 regarding the type of hospital, indications for admission, antiemetic and antidiarrheal drugs and antibiotics prescribed, and dietary changes advised.
RESULTS
Among the 400 pediatricians approached, 141 pediatricians (35.3%) responded to the survey. PG comprised 39% of the respondents and 72.7% worked at a tertiary hospital. Both PG and GP considered diarrhea or vomiting to be the primary symptom. The most common indication for hospitalization was severe dehydration (98.8%). Most pediatricians managed dehydration with intravenous fluid infusions (PG 98.2%, GP 92.9%). Antiemetics were prescribed by 87.3% of PG and 96.6% of GP. Probiotics to manage diarrhea were prescribed by 89.1% of PG and 100.0% of GP. Antibiotics were used in children with blood in diarrheal stool or high fever. Dietary changes were more commonly recommended by GP (59.3%) than by PG (27.3%) (p<0.05). Tests to identify etiological agents were performed primarily in hospitalized children.
CONCLUSION
This survey assessing the management of pediatric AGE showed that the indications for admission and rehydration were similar between GP and PG. Drug prescriptions for diarrhea and dietary changes were slightly commonly recommended by GP than by PG.

Keyword

Gastroenteritis; Disease management; Pediatricians; Child; Surveys and questionnaires

MeSH Terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antidiarrheals
Antiemetics
Child*
Child, Hospitalized
Dehydration
Diarrhea
Disease Management
Drug Prescriptions
Fever
Fluid Therapy
Gastroenteritis*
Gastroenterology*
Hospitalization
Humans
Probiotics
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tertiary Care Centers
Vomiting
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antidiarrheals
Antiemetics

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The geographical areas from which the pediatricians responded.

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