Factors Affecting Prognosis in Patients with Snakebite

Abstract

Aim:This study aimed to determine the factors influencing hospitalization durations and discharge status of patients with snakebite, starting from pre-hospital care in the field.Materials and Methods:A total of 38 patients with snakebite admitted to the emergency medicine department between May 1st, 2013 and August 31st, 2016, participated in the study. Data were evaluated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 17.0.Results:A total of 38 patients were enrolled, of which, 17 (44.7%) were female. Of the 38 patients enrolled, nine patients were in stage 1, 24 in stage 2, and 5 in stage 3. The mean antivenoms given to patients were 3.33±1.29 vials in stage 2 and 4.40±1.14 vials in stage 3. The mean time from bite to antivenom infusion was 80.92±47.57 mins. Hospitalization durations of patients with shorter bite to antivenom infusion intervals (bite-to-needle) were also shorter (p<0.001). In addition, overweight patients were found to stay longer in the hospital (p=0.027). Patients with low hemoglobin and platelet counts and high creatine kinase (CK) levels were found to stay longer in the hospital (p<0.05).Conclusion:Shorter hospitalization durations of patients with shorter bite-to-needle times show the importance of early administration of antivenom. Moreover, longer hospitalization durations of overweight patients seem to reflect their slow wound-healing times, which may be due to co-morbidities. Low platelet, hemoglobin, and CK are found to be poor prognostic markers in patients with snakebite.

Keywords

• emergency department
• snakebite
• prognosis