EFFECTIVENESS OF ORAL ONDANSETRON ON REVISITS AND HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IN CHILDREN AGED 1–6 YEARS WITH ACUTE GASTROENTERITIİS: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Objective: Acute gastroenteritis remains an important public health problem worldwide, particularly in childhood, and continues to impose a clinical and economic burden on healthcare systems. Ondansetron is a selective serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist that was initially developed for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. In recent years, oral ondansetron has been increasingly used in children with acute gastroenteritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between oral ondansetron use and emergency department revisit and hospital admission rates in children aged 1–6 years with acute gastroenteritis.Material and Methods:This retrospective cohort study included 339 children aged 1–6 years who presented with symptoms of acute gastroenteritis to the Pediatric Emergency Department of Acibadem Maslak Hospital between January 2022 and November 2024. Patients were divided into two groups: those who received oral ondansetron (n=162) and those who did not receive any antiemetic treatment (control group, n=177). Demographic and clinical data were obtained from electronic medical records. Rates of emergency department revisits, hospital admissions, and intravenous fluid requirement were compared between the groups.Results:The rate of emergency department revisit within 7 days was 14% in the ondansetron group and 21% in the control group (p=0.036). Hospital admission rates were lower in the ondansetron group compared with the control group (2% vs. 10%, p