Complications of Scorpion Stings in Patients Admitted in Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman

Abstract

Background: Scorpion sting is one of the medical health problems in tropical and subtropical regions of Iran. This study deals with the frequency of complications of scorpion sting, in patients referred to Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman.Methods: This retrospective descriptive-analytical study was performed using the census sampling method of patients, who referred to Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman following scorpion sting. The statistical population included all patients from 2016 to 2018. After collecting and extracting the data, the results were analyzed by SPSS software.Results: A total of 111 stings were reported, 61 females (55%) and 49 males (45%). Local signs included pain (55), swelling (15.3), erythema (21.6), skin ecchymosis (18.9), tenderness (10.8), and bleeding (1.8%). Systemic symptoms included nausea and vomiting (9), pain (1.8), numbness and paresthesia (3.6), weakness (9) and (86.5) without systemic symptoms. The average number of hospitalization days was 1.77.Conclusion: Clinical manifestations of patients show that species belonging to two families, Buthidae and Hemiscorpidae, are the cause of stings in this province. Stings has been more common in women and in the age group of 21 to 40 years old and more in July. Due to different species with neurotoxic and hemotoxic poison, the development of treatment protocols by trained physicians, who are familiar with clinical manifestations of these arthropods, are essential.

Keywords

• scorpion sting
• pain
• burning
• swelling
• clinical complications