A Two Dimensional Doppler Echocardiographic Assessment in Patients of Scorpion Sting

The aim and objective of the study is to analyze the clinical presentation and echo findings in scorpion sting victims and to correlate the clinical presentation and echo observations with the species of scorpion. Further to analyze the course of changes in echo variables with time.

The present study was conducted on 40 patients admitted in tertiary centre with h/o scorpion sting affliction. Patients underwent echocardiographic evaluation at time of admission and four days after admission in hospital.

Local pain was most common symptom (100%). Anxiety was seen in 33(82.8%), sweating in 27 (67.5%), breathlessness in 27 (67.5%) and pink froth in 20 (50%). Symptoms and Systemic toxicity was more common in victim of yellow scorpion (86%) sting than black scorpion (53%) sting. There was a significant difference between the various LV parameters on ECHO in 2 groups on admission day (day 1). LVID (d), LVID (s), EDV, ESV, stroke volume and EF% in those who were stung by yellow and black scorpions were 54.2±3.6 (mm), 49.3±3.3 (mm) and 42.7±4.9 (mm), 32.4±3.3 (mm) and 119.8±11.1 (ml), 101.4±8.57 (ml) and 87.5±11.5 (ml), 32.2±7.3 (ml), 40.9±7.6 (ml) and 27±5.9 (%), 40.3±6.9 (%), respectively. There was a significant improvement of all the ECHO LV parameters on day four.

Scorpion sting is characterized by an array of clinical signs and symptoms. Echo evaluation reveals markedly compromised cardiac functions in all patients. Yellow scorpion sting infliction is associated with more severe clinical presentation and poorer echo cardio-graphically demonstrable cardiac functions.