Are Multiple Doses of Ondansetron Beneficial for Gastroenteritis in Children?

Ondansetron improves gastrointestinal symptoms and reduces length of stay when given to children in the emergency department (ED) with gastroenteritis (NEJM JW Infect Dis Jun 2006 and N Eng J Med 2006; 354:1698). Clinicians often prescribe additional doses at discharge without evidence to support this practice.

In this randomized study, 1030 children (mean age, 48 months) who received ondansetron in the ED for acute vomiting-predominant gastroenteritis were provided additional doses of ondansetron or placebo at discharge. Most children were previously healthy and were discharged home. Nearly 60% did not take any study medication at home; 20% took one dose, and 10% took two.

Key findings were as follows:

• Approximately 5% of the ondansetron grou…