N-Acetylcysteine treatment of rotavirus-associated diarrhea in children
Guerrero, C.A.; Torres, D.P.; García, L.L.; Guerrero, R.A.; Acosta, O.
PharmacoTherapy 34(11): E333-E340
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 1875-9114 PMID: 25251886 DOI: 10.1002/phar.1489Document Number: 637087
Rotaviruses are the leading cause of severe, acute, and dehydrating diarrhea affecting children under 5 years of age worldwide. Despite an important reduction in rotavirus-caused deaths as a consequence of the rotavirus vaccine, alternative or complementary strategies for preventing or treating rotavirus-associated diarrhea are needed mainly in the poorest countries. We describe the cases of four rotavirus-unvaccinated 12-13-month-old girls and a 5-year-old boy who developed rotavirus-associated diarrhea confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, and immunochemistry analyses. After the first day of diarrheal episodes, three of the five patients were immediately administered oral N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 60 mg/kg daily, divided into three equal doses every 8 hours. The other two patients did not receive NAC and served as controls. Administration of NAC resulted in a decreased number of diarrheal episodes, excretion of fecal rotavirus antigen, and resolution of symptoms after 2 days of treatment. Our results suggest that NAC treatment after the first diarrheal episode could be an efficient strategy for treating rotavirus-affected children and preventing the associated severe life-threatening accompanying dehydration.
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