Efficacy of a low dose of antivenom for severe neuroparalysis in Bungarus caeruleus (common krait) envenomation: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the widespread use of antivenom for the treatment of snakebite envenoming in the Indian subcontinent, the ideal dose of antivenom has been a point of contention. Low-dose regimens can economize on a scarce resource in low- and middle-income countries. This study assessed the effectiveness of a low-dose (10 vials) antivenom regimen compared to the usual 20 vials in patients with krait bite neuroparalysis requiring mechanical ventilation.

METHODS: This study was a prospective controlled pilot study conducted in a tertiary-care hospital in north India. Participants were eligible if they were ≥12 years old, had krait bite neurotoxicity, showed severe paralysis requiring mechanical ventilation, and had access to antivenom therapy within 24 h of the bite. The primary outcome was the duration of mechanical ventilation, and the secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay and in-hospital survival.

RESULTS: Fifteen patients received 10 vials of antivenom, and 25 received 20 vials. The two treatment groups had similar baseline demographics, clinical and laboratory features, snakebite severity scores, and median time from snakebite to initiation of antivenom therapy. The low-dose regimen was as effective as the standard dose concerning the median duration of mechanical ventilation (41 h vs. 55 h, P  = 0.094), the median length of stay (78 h vs. 85.5 h, P  = 0.360), and in-hospital deaths (1 vs. 3, P  = 1.000). The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia was similar between the two groups (1 vs 3, P  = 1.000).

CONCLUSION: A low dose of antivenom effectively treats patients with severe krait bite neuroparalysis.