Antisnake venom use: A retrospective analysis in a tertiary care centre

:Context: Treatment with antisnake venom(ASV) is life saving yet dangerous. ASV usage remains a very risky business. The incidence of early adverse reaction varies between 5-80%Aims: The objectives were to evaluate the pattern of use of ASV in a tertiary care hospital and to study the immediate adverse effects following ASV use.Settings and Design: The study setting was the Medical Record Library of the institution. This was a retrospective study.Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records of snake bite cases admitted to the institution from January 1 2006-June 30 2006 was done.Data collection was done on a structuredproforma. Descriptive analysis was used toexpress the result. Data was analyzed usingMicrosoft Excel worksheet 2007 and SPSS 16.Results: A total of 88 case sheets were analyzed. 83(94%) of them received polyvalent ASV making a mean usage of 12.19 vials (Confidence Interval=10.19, 14.19). The incidence of adverse drugreaction to ASV was 23% (early anaphylaxis) which was slightly more in males’, 26% as compared to that in females 16%. All were managed symptomatically and the ASV infusion was restarted after thepatient became stable.Conclusions: Snake bite is a medical emergency with the only proven specific antidote being ASV. Careful usage of antivenom with special concerns on the cost, dose and side effects calls for rationaland appropriate use of antivenin and suggest that it should not be a routine adjunct in the management ofenvenomation.