The efficacy of precooked rice-based (50 g/L) oral rehydration solution (R-ORS) was compared with standard glucose-based ORS (G-ORS) in a randomized controlled trial in 79 children who were moderately dehydrated due to diarrhea. ORS intake rate and weight gain after rehydration were found to be similar in the two treatment groups (p > 0.05). The time necessary for rehydration was significantly lower in the R-ORS-treated group than in the G-ORS-treated group (5.2 +/- 2.2 and 7.5 +/- 3.4 hours, respectively, p < 0.05). Although the mean serum bicarbonate levels were significantly increased in both treatment groups at the end of the treatment, a significant increase in the mean pH value was observed in only the R-ORS treated group (p < 0.05).