Clinical consequences of Tityus bahiensis and Tityus serrulatus scorpion stings in the region of Campinas, southeastern Brazil.

Scorpion stings account for most envenomations by venomous animals in Brazil. A retrospective study (1994-2011) of the clinical consequences of Tityus scorpion stings in 1327 patients treated at a university hospital in Campinas, southeastern Brazil, is reported. The clinical classification, based on outcome, was: dry sting (no envenoming), class I (only local manifestations), class II (systemic manifestations), class III (life-threatening manifestations, such as shock and/or cardiac failure requiring inotropic/vasopressor agents, and/or respiratory failure), and fatal. The median patient age was 27 years (interquartile interval = 15-42 years). Scorpions were brought for identification in 47.2% of cases (Tityus bahiensis 27.7%; Tityus serrulatus 19.5%). Sting severity was classified and each accounted for the following percentage of cases: dry stings - 3.4%, class I - 79.6%, class II - 15.1%, class III - 1.8% and fatal - 0.1%. Pain was the primary local manifestation (95.5%). Systemic manifestations such as vomiting, agitation, sweating, dyspnea, bradycardia, tachycardia, tachypnea, somnolence/lethargy, cutaneous paleness, hypothermia and hypotension were detected in class II or class III + fatal groups, but were significantly more frequent in the latter group. Class III and fatal cases occurred only in children <15 years old, with scorpions being identified in 13/25 cases (T. serrulatus, n = 12; T. bahiensis, n = 1). Laboratory blood abnormalities (hyperglycemia, hypokalemia, leukocytosis, elevations in serum total CK, CK-MB and troponin T, bicarbonate consumption and an increase in base deficit and blood lactate), electrocardiographic changes (ST segment) and echocardiographic alterations (ventricular ejected fraction <54%) were frequently detected in class III patients. Seventeen patients developed pulmonary edema, 16 had cardiac failure and seven had cardiogenic shock. These results indicate that most scorpion stings involved only local manifestations, mainly pain; the greatest severity was associated with stings by T. serrulatus and in children <15 years old.

[Acute exposure to imidazoline derivatives in children]. / Exposição aguda a derivados imidazolínicos em crianças.

OBJECTIVES: To study acute exposure to imidazoline derivatives in 72 children younger than 15 years of age, followed-up from January 1994 to December 1999. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 72 patients with age between 2 months and 13 years (median 2 years; 25-75% = 1 to 3 years old) exposed to naphazoline (N = 48), fenoxazoline (N = 18), oxymetazoline (N = 5) and tetrahydrozoline (N = 1), through oral (N = 46), nasal (N = 24) or unknown (N = 2) routes. RESULTS: Fifty-seven children developed clinical manifestations such as somnolence (N = 34/57), sweating (N = 20/57), pallor (N = 17/57), hypothermia (N = 16/57), bradycardia (N = 13/57), cool extremities (N = 9/57), restlessness (N = 7/57), tachycardia (N = 6/57), vomiting (N = 5/57), irregular respiratory pattern and apnea (N = 5/57), miosis/mydriasis (N = 4/57). Naphazoline was the active ingredient most frequently involved (N = 47), followed by fenoxazoline (N = 5) and oxymetazoline (N = 4). The onset of clinical manifestations was rapid, beginning within 2 hours after exposure in 32/57 children. Only supportive measures were employed, with one child requiring mechanical ventilation after accidental naphazoline ingestion. In most of the children resolution of symptoms occurred within 24 hours (N = 39/57). No deaths were observed. Patients exposed to naphazoline (N = 47/48) presented a higher frequency of clinical signs of poisoning in comparison with those exposed to fenoxazoline (N = 5/18) (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the frequency of patients who presented clinical manifestations considering the route of exposure [oral (N = 34/46), nasal (N = 21/24); p = 0.31]. CONCLUSIONS: Most children (especially those younger than 3 years) exposed to imidazoline derivatives (especially naphazoline) presented early signs of poisoning regardless of the exposure route (nasal or oral). The main signs observed were nervous system, cardiovascular and respiratory depression. Most children showed complete resolution of the symptoms within 24 hours.

Exposiçäo aguda a derivados imidazolínicos em crianças / Acute exposure to imidazoline derivatives in children

OBJETIVOS: Estudar a exposiçäo aguda a derivados imidazolínicos em crianças com idade inferior a 15 anos, atendidas no período de janeiro de 1994 a dezembro de 1999. MÉTODOS: Neste estudo retrospectivo foram avaliadas 72 crianças com idades entre dois meses e 13 anos, mediana de dois anos (25 por cento a 75 por cento; um a três anos), expostas a nafazolina (n = 48), fenoxazolina (n = 18), oximetazolina (n = 5) e tetrizolina (n = 1); por via oral (n = 46), nasal (n = 24) ou desconhecida (n = 2). RESULTADOS: No total, 57 crianças desenvolveram manifestações clínicas: sonolência (n = 34), sudorese (n = 20), palidez (n = 17), hipotermia (n = 16), bradicardia (n = 13), extremidades frias (n = 9), agitaçäo (n = 7), taquicardia (n = 6), vômitos (n = 34), respiraçäo irregular e apnéia (n = 5), miose/midríase (n = 4), sendo a nafazolina (n = 47), a fenoxazolina (n = 5) e a oximetazolina (n = 4) os princípios ativos mais envolvidos. O início das manifestações clínicas foi rápido, iniciando-se, em 32/57 crianças, até duas horas após a exposiçäo. Somente medidas de suporte foram empregadas, com uma criança necessitando de ventilaçäo mecânica após exposiçäo à nafazolina. Na maioria dos pacientes, o quadro clínico remitiu até 24 horas após a exposiçäo (n = 39/57). Näo houve evoluçäo letal. Pacientes expostos à nafazolina (n = 47/48) apresentaram maior freqüência de manifestações clínicas de intoxicaçäo em comparaçäo com aqueles expostos à fenoxazolina (n = 5/18) (p < 0,001). Comparando-se a freqüência de pacientes que desenvolveram manifestações clínicas de acordo com a via de exposiçäo (oral, n = 34/46; nasal, n = 21/24), näo foi encontrada uma diferença estatisticamente significante (p = 0,31). CONCLUSÕES: Na maioria dos casos de exposiçäo a derivados imidazolínicos, principalmente à nafazolina e em crianças com menos de três anos de idade, ocorreu, independentemente da via (oral ou nasal), o aparecimento precoce de manifestações clínicas de intoxicaçäo, destacando-se as depressöes neurológica, cardiovascular e respiratória, que regrediram até 24 horas após a exposiçäo

Envenenamento ofidico em criancas: frequencias de reacoes precoces ao antiveneno em pacientes que receberam pre-tratamento com antagonistas H1 e H2 da histamina e hidrocortisona / Snake envenomation in children: early reactions frequency at antivenom in patients pretreated with histamine antagonists H1 and H2 and hidrocortisone

Foram estudadas 24 criancas, com idade entre 2 a 14 anos, de 1989 a 1993, vitimas de acidentes oficidicos, submetidas a pre-tratamento com antagonistas H1 (dextroclorfeniramina) e H2 (cimetidine ou ranitidina) da histamina e hidrocortisona, com objetivo de avaliar a frequencia e o tipo de reacoes precoces (RP) ao antiveneno (AV). Em nenhum paciente havia antecedente de atopia ou uso previo de algum tipo de antiveneno ou antitoxina heterologa. Das 24 criancas 15 receberam AV botropico (RP em 5), 7 AV crotalico (RP em 5), 1 AV crotalico e AV botropico-crotalico e 1 AV elapidico (RP). Como forma observadas RP graves em 3 criancas, as 3 classificadas cmo acidente crotalico grave. A analise dos resultados sugere que o pre-tratamento realizado nao ofereceu uma protecao segura quanto ao aparecimento de RP.