CORRELATION BETWEEN BITE TO NEEDLE TIME AND COMPLICATIONS IN SNAKE BITES

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 81,000–138,000 people die each year from snakebites worldwide,approximately half of global snake bite deaths,estimated at 100,000 per year,occur in India.The present study was carried to analyze correlation between the time delay in administering Anti Snake Venom (ASV) in patients with symptomatic evidence of snake bite and subsequent development of complication.MATERIAL:The study was carried out on forty patients admitted with snake bite in the Department of Medicine in Jhalawar Medical College. Detailed clinical history, clinical examination and investigations were carried out. ASV administered in symptomatic patients and bite-to-needle time was noted.And patients were followed for subsequent development of complications. OBSERVATION:Forty patients of snake bites became eligible for the study over a period of 5 months,15 patients (37.5%) had developed complications while remaining 25 patients (62.5%) were uncomplicated.The Chi square test was used to find the significance of the relationship between the timing of ASV administration after bite due to late arrival at hospital (bite to needle time) with subsequent development of complications. It was found to be significant at 5% level of significance (p<0.05) (i.e.,p=0.04 at degree of freedom 2).CONCLUSIONS: In our study we came to a conclusion that the incidence and severity of post snake bite complications is directly proportional to Bite-to-needle time.To prevent this complication and reduce health care burden, timely arrival at health care centres and prompt administration of ASV is encouraged.