Oral Versus Intramuscular Ondansetron for Reducing Vomiting in Children with Acute Gastroenteritis: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Acute gastroenteritis is one of the most common diseases in children with a high rate of nausea and vomiting. Drugs such as ondansetron are used to treat vomiting. Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the success rate of oral vs intramuscular ondansetron to reduce vomiting in children with acute gastroenteritis. Methods: A single-blind randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 100 children with acute gastroenteritis. Two groups of patients were created; one group received an intramuscular injection of ondansetron and the other received oral ondansetron. The vomiting rate, hospitalization, and side effects were evaluated 30 minutes, 4, and 48 hours after drug administration. Results: Fifty-nine (59%) boys with a mean age between 3.07 ± 2.20 years were included. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, weight, and rate of vomiting before the treatment was launched. No significant difference between the drug administration route and the outcome of vomiting during the first half, 4, and 48 hours after receiving the drug was found either. Conclusions: The study showed that the success rate of oral ondansetron did not vary significantly compared to intramuscular injection in terms of reducing the vomiting rate in children with acute gastroenteritis.