Role of prazosin in management of scorpion sting in pediatrics : a comparative study

Abstract EN

Background Scorpion stings represent an important and serious public health problem worldwide owing to their high incidence and potentially severe and often fatal clinical manifestations.

Children are at greater risk of developing severe cardiac, respiratory, and neurological complications owing to lesser body surface area.

Prazosin, a postsynaptic alpha blocker, is an effective drug in the treatment of serious scorpion envenomation with significant sympathetic symptoms.

Aim of the study To study the role of prazosin in the management of scorpion envenomation in children at Assuit University Children Hospital.

Patients and methods The study included 60 patients with scorpion stings admitted to Assuit University Children’s Hospital from November 2016 to November 2017.

Their ages ranged from 1 to 18 years.

Patients were randomized into two groups: group A underwent conventional therapy and prazosin and group B underwent conventional therapy.

Results Our results showed that addition of prazosin to antivenom induced earlier clinical recovery than in cases treated with conventional therapy.

Administration of prazosin is one of the most useful strategies to reduce mortality in scorpion envenomation.

A total of 60 cases of scorpion envenomation were observed during the study time period.

Male children predominated over female.

Conclusion Scorpion sting envenomation is an acute life-threatening emergency, and recovery from scorpion sting is hastened by simultaneous administration of scorpion antivenom plus prazosin compared with antivenom alone.