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Antivenom treatment in Vipera berus envenoming—report of 30 cases
Author(s) -
KarlsonStiber C.,
Persson H.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1994.tb01032.x
Subject(s) - antivenom , medicine , incidence (geometry) , envenomation , adverse effect , surgery , venom , ecology , physics , optics , biology
. Objectives . To assess efficacy and safety of two equine F(ab') 2 antivenoms currently used to treat envenoming by European vipers. Design . Retrospective case review study. Setting . Case records collected by the Swedish Poison Information Centre concerning patients treated in Swedish hospitals for bites by the common European adder, Vipera berus . Subjects . Patients presenting with V. berus envenoming treated with antivenom ( n = 30) and two groups of patients not given antivenom ( n = 16 and n = 38). Main outcome measures . Clinical course and time in hospital were retrospectively studied and compared in patients treated or not treated with antivenom. Results . There was a significantly lower incidence of extensive oedema (23 vs. 88%) and anaemia (10 vs. 50%) in the antivenom‐treated group, and the hospital stay was shorter (median: 3 vs. 6 days). Antivenom treatment also resulted in prompt clinical improvement in the acute phase. Adverse effects consisting of urticaria and serum sickness occurred in 10% of the patients given antivenom. Conclusions . Antivenom treatment was associated with a reduced morbidity in severe V. berus envenoming. However, the occurrence of allergic side‐effects is not negligible with this type of antivenom.