Ben Kazie MD

It is exciting news to learn that a new antivenom has proven effective in helping children who have suffered stings from scorpions. While not a major issue in most of the United States, for those who live in the desert southwest, especially closer to the Mexican border in Texas, New Mexico Arizona and California, this is welcome news.  Children are almost always affected to a much greater degree. Cudos to researchers at the University of Arizona for completing this important study . . . ben kazie md

Experimental Drug Eases Poisonous Scorpion Stings in Children

No other antivenom specifically for scorpion stings is available in the United States, and a small clinical trial of young children stung by bark scorpions has found that most of those given the investigational drug recovered within two hours, while children given a placebo had symptoms that lasted four hours or more and required heavy sedation and hospitalization

In North America, envenomation by neurotoxic scorpions affects more than a quarter of a million people annually, mostly in Mexico. The sting produces a syndrome that ranges in severity from a simple sting mark to a life-threatening illness. Mild envenomation, which is more common in adults than in children and consists mainly of local pain, resolves without specific treatment over the course of hours or days. Severe envenomation, which is more common in small children, affects approximately 200 patients annually in Arizona

Among critically ill children with neurotoxic effects of scorpion envenomation, intravenous administration of scorpion-specific F(ab’)2 antivenom resolved the clinical syndrome within 4 hours, reduced the need for concomitant sedation with midazolam, and reduced the levels of circulating unbound venom. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00685230)

An Experimental Drug Eases Poisonous Scorpion Stings in Children, a Study Finds – http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/health/14scorpion.html

Antivenom for Critically Ill Children with Neurotoxicity from Scorpion Stings – http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/360/20/2090

Scorpion antivenom lacks FDA approval – http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/292784.php

UA research shows benefit of scorpion sting antivenin – http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/116453.php

Double-Blind, Alacramyn® vs. Placebo in Pediatric Patients – http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00685230

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