Decrease in Net Stool Output in Cholera during Intestinal Perfusion with Glucose-Containing Solutions

The rate of intestinal fluid loss was decreased significantly in eight patients with cholera when electrolyte solutions containing glucose were administered intragastrically or into the intestine for periods of 12 to 32 hours. During alternating periods of perfusion without glucose, or without any perfusion, the rate of fluid loss did not differ significantly from the natural course of diarrhea in 25 control patients. Thus, the normal mechanism of enhancement of intestinal sodium absorption by an actively transported sugar seems intact in cholera. Where intravenous fluids are scarce in cholera-affected areas, oral electrolyte solutions containing glucose can supplement parenteral fluids in the treatment of cholera.