Rodolfo Márquez-Martin, Departament of General Surgery; Departamento of Emergency Medicine. Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
Francisco Reyna-Sepúlveda, Departament of General Surgery, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
Daniel R. Cantú-Alejo, Departament of General Surgery, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
Edelmiro Pérez-Rodríguez, Departament of General Surgery, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
Víctor Peña-Martínez, Departament of General Surgery, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
Marco A. Hernández-Guedea, Departament of General Surgery; Departamento of Emergency Medicine. Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
Gerardo E. Muñoz-Maldonado, Departament of General Surgery, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
Objective: To observe the effect of antivenom on venomous snakebite patients by measuring changes in serum venom levels and laboratory values; also, to perform a clinical correlation. Material and methods: The study design was observational and descriptive. The snake antivenom (Antivipmyn) used was derived from equine antibodies and is specific for species in Mexico. Results: Twenty-three patients were included for analysis. Only 1 patient (4.3%) had an adverse reaction to the antivenom. No deaths were reported and 97% of patients had their serum venom levels neutralized and improved laboratory values in patients with leukocytosis (100%) and elevated PTT (83%). We observed a positive (0.75) and significant (p ≤ 0.01) correlation between serum venom levels and the snakebite severity score. Conclusions: We observed that almost all patients venom was completely neutralized, and laboratory values showed statistically significant improvement.
Keywords: Antivenom therapy. Antivipmyn. Serum venom levels. Clinical correlation. Venomous snakebite.
