- Patients were excluded if they had hyperthermia (>39.0º C), serum sodium >150 mEq/L or <130 mEq/L, white cell count >15,000, bloody diarrhea (dysentery), abnormal cardiovascular or renal function or an underlying metabolic or nutritional disorder and most importantly, if the clinical assessment of dehydration was >7% that suggested a need for intravenous fluids.