Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Acta Medica Mediterranea, cilt.29, sa.4, ss.611-616, 2013 (SCI-Expanded)
Introduction: In the scorpion stings, based on the involved system, clinical and laboratory changes may be seen in a wide spectrum from mild pain and flushing to death. The present study was aimed to assess patient demographics, clinical characteristics and outcomes. Methods:All patients presented to emergency department with scorpion sting between 2008 and 2011 were retrospectively evaluated by using electronic database. Results: Overall, 345 cases were included into the study, consisting of 160 male (46.4%) and 185 female (53.6%) with a mean age of 34.39±19.47 years. It was found that scorpion sting patients were most commonly stung at extremities (n=322; 93.3%).The most commonly observed complaint was pain (n=334; 96.8%).Localized flushing and edema were observed in 307 cases (89.0%). In the laboratory evaluation, it was found that mean values of complete blood counts, biochemistry assays and prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) were within normal range. Of the cases, 99.4%(n=343) were discharged, while two children (0.6%) died due to cardiac and respiratory complications. Conclusions: Since complete blood count and coagulation assays may be normal, these assays aren't routinely needed in all cases with scorpion sting. Anti-serum therapy should be considered at early course of the disease in children and elderly patients due to complications and mortality; it should be intravenously administered if indicated, but it should not be used in all patients.