Retrospective evaluation of scorpion envenomations refer to the pediatric emergency service

Introduction and Objective: In this study, scorpion sting cases in the pediatric age group of patients who admitted to Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Children's hospital Pediatric Emergency Clinic were retrospectively evaluated in terms of gender and age distribution, presented complaints, clinical findings and laboratory results. And, the study aims to update the issue of intervening the pediatric patients admitted to the emergency clinic due to scorpion sting, to raise the awareness of the people in the rural areas and consequently to provide adequate knowledge and effective treatment skills to the health personnel in the region for this vital condition. Material and Method: The study was conducted with patients in the 1-16 age group regardless of the gender, who admitted to Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Children's Hospital Pediatric Emergency Polyclinic between 2013 and 2017 due to scorpion sting intoxication. Results: It was observed that 43.1% of the patients, admitted to the emergency polyclinic with the complaint of scorpion sting, was male and 56.9% was female. Of the scorpion sting cases, 65.3% was in the rural area and 34.7% was in the city center. Of the cases included in the study, 51.4% had been stung at the lower extremities and 34.7% of them had been stung at the upper extremities by scorpions. Among the clinical symptoms, pain was observed in 70.8% of cases, vomiting in 22.2%, edema in 58.3%, cold extremity in 41.7%, sweating in 23.6%, excessive salivary secretion in 12.5%, convulsions in 6.9%, and priapism in 1.4%. Of the children who were exposed to scorpion sting, 25,7% had mild, 71,4% had moderate and 2.9% had severe phase. IV Antivenom was found to be administered to the 54.3% of the patients. Tetanus vaccination had been given to 44.3% of the patients, steroid treatment had been administered to 74.3%, antihistaminic treatment to 75.7%, analgesic treatment to 64.3%, antibiotic treatment to 65.7% and 1.4% had erythrocyte suspension. While no platelet suspension had been given to the patients, 11.4% of the patients had been treated with prazosin as an adjunctive drug. As a complication, compartment syndrome and loss of strength were present in a few cases. Resuscitation had been applied to 1.4% of the cases, and it was found that 4.3% needed mechanical ventilation. Of the patients, 32.9% had intensive care need, and 2 patients were ex. Of the children in our study, 68.1% had normotensive blood pressure, 51.4% had normal cardiac examination, 72.2% had normal breathing examination and 69.4% had been conscious. Conclusion: The scorpion sting incidents are still an important health problem especially in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey. Especially in the summer months the incidence increases. Respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and gastrointestinal tract involvement are seen and rarely can result in death. Keywords: Pediatric emergency, scorpion sting, antivenom, mortality.