ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY CAUSED BY Crotalus AND Bothrops SNAKE VENOM: A REVIEW OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS AND TREATMENT

SUMMARY Ophidic accidents are an important public health problem due to their incidence, morbidity and mortality. An increasing number of cases have been registered in Brazil in the last few years. Several studies point to the importance of knowing the clinical complications and adequate approach in these accidents. However, knowledge about the risk factors is not enough and there are an increasing number of deaths due to these accidents in Brazil. In this context, acute kidney injury (AKI) appears as one of the main causes of death and consequences for these victims, which are mainly young males working in rural areas. Snakes of the Bothrops and Crotalus genera are the main responsible for renal involvement in ophidic accidents in South America. The present study is a literature review of AKI caused by Bothrops and Crotalus snake venom regarding diverse characteristics, emphasizing the most appropriate therapeutic approach for these cases. Recent studies have been carried out searching for complementary therapies for the treatment of ophidic accidents, including the use of lipoic acid, simvastatin and allopurinol. Some plants, such as Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae and Rubiaceae seem to have a beneficial role in the treatment of this type of envenomation. Future studies will certainly find new therapeutic measures for ophidic accidents

Unified treatment algorithm for the management of crotaline snakebite in the United States: results of an evidence-informed consensus workshop

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Envenomation by crotaline snakes (rattlesnake, cottonmouth, copperhead) is a complex, potentially lethal condition affecting thousands of people in the United States each year. Treatment of crotaline envenomation is not standardized, and significant variation in practice exists.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A geographically diverse panel of experts was convened for the purpose of deriving an evidence-informed unified treatment algorithm. Research staff analyzed the extant medical literature and performed targeted analyses of existing databases to inform specific clinical decisions. A trained external facilitator used modified Delphi and structured consensus methodology to achieve consensus on the final treatment algorithm.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A unified treatment algorithm was produced and endorsed by all nine expert panel members. This algorithm provides guidance about clinical and laboratory observations, indications for and dosing of antivenom, adjunctive therapies, post-stabilization care, and management of complications from envenomation and therapy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Clinical manifestations and ideal treatment of crotaline snakebite differ greatly, and can result in severe complications. Using a modified Delphi method, we provide evidence-informed treatment guidelines in an attempt to reduce variation in care and possibly improve clinical outcomes.</p

Serum levels of cytokines in patients envenomed by Tityus serrulatus scorpion sting

Seventeen patients stung by Tityus serrulatus scorpion were classified as mild (pain at the site of the sting, n = 6), moderate (local pain and one of the following manifestations: vomiting, psychomotor agitation, prostration, sweating, tachypnea, tachycardia and mild arterial hypertension, n = 10) and severe cases (equal moderate cases plus cardiac failure; pulmonary edema and shock, n = 1), Venous blood was sampled for biochemical and hematological analysis and for IL-alpha, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha. IFN-gamma and GM-CSF ELISAs at the lime of hospital admission, 6 h (moderate and severe cases); and 12, 18, 36 and 72 h (severe case) later. Ten age-matched healthy volunteers were used as control. Increased serum levels of IL-1 alpha was noticed in all patients, high levels of IL-6, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF were observed only in a patient with severe envenomation. Our data suggest that a systemic inflammatory response-like syndrome is triggered during severe envenomation caused by T. serrulatus sting and that release of cytokines may be involved in this response. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.3781155116

A violência contra a mulher atendida em unidade de urgência: uma contribuição da enfermagem La violencia contra la mujer atendida en unidad de urgencia: una contribuición de la enfermería The violence against woman who is attended in an unit of urgency: a nursing contribution

INTRODUÇÃO: A violência na atualidade tem se comportado como um sério problema de saúde pública, e os serviços de urgência têm se constituído em porta de entrada para mulheres agredidas. Por essa razão, objetivou-se, com o presente trabalho, levantar os casos de violência contra a mulher atendidos em uma unidade de urgência no ano de 2004. MÉTODO: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo, retrospectivo, realizado em Teresina (PI), no Serviço de Pronto-Socorro do Hospital Getúlio Vargas, com amostra populacional de 100 casos selecionados por amostragem sistemática, tendo por instrumento um formulário com perguntas fechadas. RESULTADOS: A violência apresentou alta magnitude entre as mulheres usuárias dos serviços de pronto-atendimento, mas com elevada taxa de subnotificação quanto ao tipo de agressor (89%) e causas da violência sem registro (80%) CONCLUSÕES: Concluiu-se que os registros de violência foram maiores nos casos em que as mulheres apresentaram marcas físicas; foi expressivo o número de subnotificação de agressores. Finalmente, é conveniente que os profissionais que atendem mulheres vítimas da violência doméstica sejam treinados para identificar, acolher e registrar corretamente os casos de violência.<br>INTRODUCCIÓN: La violencia en la actualidad se ha comportado como un serio problema de salud pública, y los servicios de urgencia se han constituido como puerta de entrada para las mujeres agredidas. Por lo tanto, fue objetivado, con el actual trabajo, levantar los casos de violencia contra la mujer, atendidos en una unidad de urgencia en el año de 2004. MÉTODO: Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, retrospectivo, realizado en Teresina (Piauí - Brasil), en el Servicio Médico de Urgencia del hospital de Getúlio Vargas, con muestra poblacional de 100 casos seleccionadas por el muestreo sistemático, teniendo por instrumento un formulario con preguntas cerradas. RESULTADOS: La violencia presentó alta magnitud entre las mujeres que usaban los servicios médicos de emergencia, pero con elevada taza de subnotificación cuanto el tipo de agresor (89%) y causas de la violencia sin registro (80%). CONCLUSIONES: Se concluye que los registros de violencia habían sido mayores en los casos donde las mujeres habían presentado marcas físicas; era expresivo el número de subnotificación de agresores. Finalmente, es conveniente que los profesionales que cuidan de las mujeres víctimas de la violencia doméstica sean entrenados para identificar, acoger y registrar correctamente los casos de violencia.<br>INTRODUCTION: The violence in the present time has behaved as a serious problem of public health, and the urgency services have constituted itself as a door of entrance for attacked women. Therefore, it was objectified, with the present work, to raise the cases of violence against the woman who is attended in a unit of urgency in the year of 2004. METHOD: Quantitative, descriptive, retrospective study, carried through in Teresina (Piauí - Brazil), the Emergency Medical Service of the Getúlio Vargas Hospital, with population sample of 100 cases selected for systematic sampling, having for instrument a form with closed questions. RESULTS: The violence presented high dimension among the using women of the emergency medical services, but with raised tax of under notification about the type of aggressor (89%) and causes of the violence without register (80%). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the violence registers had been bigger in the cases where the women had presented physical marks; the number of under notification of aggressors was expressive. Finally, it is convenient that the professionals who take care of to women victims of the domestic violence are trained to correctly identify, receive and register the violence cases

A retrospective study of 40 victims of Crotalus snake bites: analysis of the hepatic necrosis observed in one patient

Forty patients with a diagnosis of snake bite were studied at the Infectious and Parasitic Disease Service of the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu. Thirty were males and 10 females, ranging in age from 16 to 70 years. All were farm laborers and 35 of them were bitten in the lower limbs. Two of the 9 patients seen more than 6 hours after the bite died. The low mortality rate (5%) observed could be explained by the early care provided, by the use of appropriate doses of anti-crotalus serum, parenteral hydration, urine alkalinization with sodium bicarbonate and induction of osmotic diuresis with a mannitol solution. Anatomopathological examination of one of the patients who died revealed extensive hepatic necrosis. The authors discuss the possibility of the effect of a factor of snake venom in the genesis of hepatic necrosis and in the increased transaminase levels