| Vivatvakin Bet al, 1992,Thailand | 62 patients (age 1–24 months) with acute diarrhoea randomised to DS+ORS or ORS | Prospective randomised controlled trial | Duration of diarrhoea (hours) | Significantly shorter duration of diarrhoea in the DS+ORS group (43.3±25.1 v 84.7±48.5, p = 0.005) | Small number of patients; unclear randomisation; no blinding |
| Madkour AAet al, 1993,Egypt | 90 boys (age 3–24 months) with acute diarrhoea randomised to DS+ORS or ORS | Prospective randomised controlled trial | Duration of diarrhoea (hours) | Significantly shorter duration of diarrhoea in the DS+ORS group (54.1±2.35 v 72.9±1.98, p<0.001) | Small number of patients |
| Total number of diarrhoeal stools | Significant smaller number of total diarrhoeal stools in the DS+ORS group (11.3±0.48 v 13.8±0.45, p<0.001) |
| Lexomboon Uet al, 1994,Thailand | 66 patients (age 1–24 months) with acute diarrhoea randomised to DS+ORS or ORS | Prospective randomised controlled trial | Cure rate at 72 hours | Significantly higher cure rate in the DS+ORS group at 72 hours after the treatment (71% v 34%, p<0.01) | Small number of patients; unclear randomisation; no blinding |
| Guarino Aet al, 2001,Italy | 804 patients (age 3 months–5 years) with acute diarrhoea randomised to DS+ORS or ORS | Prospective randomised controlled trial | Duration of diarrhoea (hours) | Significantly shorter duration of diarrhoea in the DS+ORS group (96±21 v 119±23, p<0.001) | Incomparable baseline data; no intention to treat analysis; no blinding |
| Narkeviciute Iet al, 2002,Lithuania | 54 patients (age 6–48 months) with acute diarrhoea randomised to DS+ORS or ORS | Prospective randomised controlled trial | Duration of diarrhoea (hours) | Significantly shorter duration of diarrhoea in the DS+ORS group (42.3±24.7 v 61.8±33.9, p = 0.019) | Small number of patients; randomisation by birthday; no blinding |