Ondansetron treatment reduces rotavirus symptoms—A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial
Open Access
- 27 October 2017
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in PLOS ONE
- Vol. 12 (10), e0186824
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186824
Abstract
Rotavirus and norovirus cause acute gastroenteritis with severe diarrhoea and vomiting, symptoms that may lead to severe dehydration and death. The objective of this randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled study was to investigate whether ondansetron, a serotonin receptor antagonist could attenuate rotavirus- and norovirus-induced vomiting and diarrhoea, which would facilitate oral rehydration and possibly accelerate recovery and reduce need for hospitalization. Children with acute gastroenteritis, aged 6 months to 16 years where enrolled (n = 104) and randomized to one single oral dose (0.15mg/kg) of ondansetron (n = 52) or placebo (n = 52). The number of diarrhoea and vomiting episodes during the 24 hours following treatment was reported as well as the number of days with symptoms. Pathogens in faeces were diagnosed by real-time PCR. Outcome parameters were analyzed for rotavirus- and norovirus-positive children. One dose of oral ondansetron reduced duration of rotavirus clinical symptoms (p = 0.014), with a median of two days. Furthermore, ondansetron reduced diarrhea episodes, most pronounced in children that had been sick for more than 3 days before treatment (p = 0.028). Ondansetron may be a beneficial treatment for children with rotavirus gastroenteritis. European Clinical Trial Database EudraCT 2011-005700-15.Keywords
Funding Information
- Vetenskapsrådet ((LS) 320301)
This publication has 45 references indexed in Scilit:
- Rotavirus Stimulates Release of Serotonin (5-HT) from Human Enterochromaffin Cells and Activates Brain Structures Involved in Nausea and VomitingPLoS Pathogens, 2011
- Norovirus infections in children under 5 years of age hospitalized due to the acute viral gastroenteritis in northeastern PolandEuropean Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 2011
- Norovirus genotypes in endemic acute gastroenteritis of infants and children in Finland between 1994 and 2007Epidemiology and Infection, 2011
- Oral ondansetron versus domperidone for symptomatic treatment of vomiting during acute gastroenteritis in children: multicentre randomized controlled trialBMC Pediatrics, 2011
- Clinical trial: oral ondansetron for reducing vomiting secondary to acute gastroenteritis in children – a double‐blind randomized studyAlimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2009
- Rotaviruses: From Pathogenesis to VaccinationGastroenterology, 2009
- The Role of Oral Ondansetron in Children With Vomiting as a Result of Acute Gastritis/Gastroenteritis Who Have Failed Oral Rehydration Therapy: A Randomized Controlled TrialAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 2008
- Emergency Department Treatment of Viral Gastritis Using Intravenous Ondansetron or Dexamethasone in ChildrenAcademic Emergency Medicine, 2006
- Role of the Enteric Nervous System in the Fluid and Electrolyte Secretion of Rotavirus DiarrheaScience, 2000
- Antiemetic activity of ondansetron in acute gastroenteritisAlimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 1997