Clinical profile of scorpion stings

Aims of the study: To study clinical presentation, complications and response to supportive management of cases of scorpion sting. Methods and Material: Thirty cases of acute scorpion bite were studied in detail and compared with previous data from literature. Results: All the thirty cases were brought to our hospital, among them twenty one cases were males and remaining nine cases were females, with their age ranging from 14 years to 62 years. Sixteen cases were farmers, six were housewives, five were students, two were truck drivers and one was manual labourer. Local pain was prominent symptoms, next were warm extremities, breathlessness, sweating, palpitation and vomiting, eighteen cases had tachycardia, hypertension and hyperthermia. Two cases had mydriasis, pulmonary oedema, ST segment changes and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. None of the patient was treated with mechanical ventilation. All the cases responded to supportive treatment and recovered completely. Conclusion: Scorpion stings are more common in males. Maximum patients are in age group of fourth decade. Incidence is high in farmers. Maximum number of cases had scorpion sting on lower limb. Stings are more at the day time. Local pain, breathlessness, sweating and redness of local area are the commonest symptom. Tachycardia hypertension and hyperthermia are common signs. Mydriasis is rare. Electrocardiogram were normal except few had ST segment depression and ventricular premature beats. Myocarditis and pulmonary oedema are rare complications which are treatable.