Echocardiologic evaluation and follow-up of cardiovascular complications in children with scorpion sting in coastal South India.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Scorpion stings are a common emergency in India and many other tropical countries. In India, the red scorpions are more prevalent, and their venom is more likely to cause myocardial dysfunctions. There are very few studies conducted on this problem. The following study was done in Andhra Pradesh and aimed to identify cardiovascular complications of scorpion stings in children with a follow-up of 6 months.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study.

SETTING: Children admitted with scorpion sting in a tertiary care hospital between December 2009 and November 2010 and followed-up till May 2011.

RESULTS: Scorpion stings account for 1 in every 36 admissions. Maximum cases were in 0-3 years age group. Electrocardiogram changes were seen in 76% cases and myocarditis in 42% cases. Echocardiography revealed decreased ejection fraction (EF), transient mitral regurgitation and wall motion abnormalities were observed. Average EF improved from 16% on day 1 to 47.94% and 59% on day 5 and 14 respectively, which was highly statistically significant. By the end of 1 month, all the survivors had normal EF and no residual cardiac dysfunction was observed at 6 months.

CONCLUSION: Scorpion stings, a common and fatal medical emergency in India, produce echocardiographic changes without any long term residual damage on myocardial activity.