Low dose versus high dose anti-snake venom therapy in the treatment of haematotoxic snake bite in South India. (October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Joseph, Imanto M; Kuriakose, Cijoy K; Dev, Anand Vimal; Philip, George A
• Is Part Of: Tropical doctor. Volume 47:Number 4(2017:Oct.)
• Page Start: 300
• Page End: 304
• Publication Date: 2017-10
• Subjects: Haematotoxic snake bite -- anti-snake venom dose; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Developing Countries -- Periodicals; Tropical Medicine -- Periodicals; Tropische geneeskunde; 616.9883
• DOI: 10.1177/0049475517712804
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0049-4755

Abstract

Most of the studies on the appropriate dose of anti-snake venom (ASV) are from tertiary hospitals and the guidelines are unclear. Our observational study compared the outcomes of two prevalent treatment regimes for haematotoxic snake bite in a secondary care hospital in South India. The time to normalisation of whole blood clotting time, mortality and complications were not different between the groups. The average dose of ASV required in the low and high dose groups were 106 mL and 246 mL, respectively. Consequently, patients who received low dose ASV incurred approximately 50% less expense. Urticarial rashes were also significantly fewer in the low dose group.