background
Dengue shock syndrome is characterized by severe vascular leakage and disordered hemostasis
and progresses to death in 1 to 5 percent of cases. Although volume replacement
is recognized as the critical therapeutic intervention, World Health Organization
management guidelines remain empirical rather than evidence-based.
methods
We performed a double-blind, randomized comparison of three fluids for initial resuscitation
of Vietnamese children with dengue shock syndrome. We randomly assigned
383 children with moderately severe shock to receive Ringer’s lactate, 6 percent dextran
70 (a colloid), or 6 percent hydroxyethyl starch (a colloid) and 129 children with severe
shock to receive one of the colloids. The primary outcome measure was requirement
for rescue colloid at any time after administration of the study fluid.
results
Only one patient died (