Sucrose in oral therapy for cholera and related diarrhoeas.

Sucrose was tested as a possible alternative to glucose in oral diarrhoea therapy. Eighteen patients were given oral sucrose plus electrolytes as a maintenance solution. Fifteen of these patients could be maintained using this solution, but three developed massive increases in net fluid losses with increases in plasma specific gravity, necessitating termination of oral therapy. Twelve patients tested all had significant concentrations of stool reducing sugar. The data contrast with the rarity of treatment failures of oral glucose-electrolyte solutions. Glucose, therefore, is preferable to sucrose for oral therapy of diarrhoeal diseases.