title: A canine study of immunotherapy in scorpion envenomation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of scorpion venom and antivenom in experimental envenomation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, controlled animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University research laboratory
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine anesthetized and ventilated dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first group of animals had venom alone (0.05 mg/kg). Animals from the second group had simultaneous administration of 10 ml of scorpion antivenom (SAV). In the third and fourth groups, 10 ml and 40 ml SAV, respectively, were injected 10 min following venom.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hemodynamic parameters using right heart catheter were recorded and dosage of catecholamines, neuropeptide Y (NPY), endothelin-1, and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were performed at baseline and during 60 min following envenomation. In the control group, at 5 min, there was a sharp increase in pulmonary artery occluded pressure (PAOP, from 2 mmHg to 23 mmHg), mean arterial pressure (MAP, from 125 mmHg to 212 mmHg) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR, from 2450 dyn sec(-1 )m(5) to 5775 dyn sec(-1 )m(5), P<0.05 for all). Heart rate, cardiac output, and stroke volume decreased. There was a 40-fold increase in epinephrine and norepinephrine plasma concentrations. Circulating NPY and ANP dosages increased too. PAOP and MAP decreased thereafter to reach baseline levels. Simultaneous administration of SAV with venom totally offset the hallmarks of scorpion envenomation. Delayed administration of SAV at any dosage failed to alter the features of scorpion envenomation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While simultaneous administration of SAV and scorpion venom is effective in preventing scorpion envenomation-related manifestations, delayed administration of SAV, either at standard or elevated dosages, failed to alter any of the scorpion envenomation features.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, CHU F Bourguiba, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia. f.abroug@rns.tn.|Unité de Recherche (99/UR/088-59), Faculté de Médecine, Monastir, Tunisia. f.abroug@rns.tn.
authors.forename: Fekri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abroug
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, CHU F Bourguiba, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia.|Unité de Recherche (99/UR/088-59), Faculté de Médecine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Semir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nouira
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche (99/UR/088-59), Faculté de Médecine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Souheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El Atrous
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, CHU F Bourguiba, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia.|Unité de Recherche (99/UR/088-59), Faculté de Médecine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Lamia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Besbes
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, CHU F Bourguiba, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia.|Unité de Recherche (99/UR/088-59), Faculté de Médecine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Riadh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boukef
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, CHU F Bourguiba, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia.|Unité de Recherche (99/UR/088-59), Faculté de Médecine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boussarsar
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, CHU F Bourguiba, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia.|Unité de Recherche (99/UR/088-59), Faculté de Médecine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Soudani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marghli
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie, Upres 1390 CHU, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eurin
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie, Upres 1390 CHU, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barthelemy
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Ayeb
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Koussay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dellagi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie, Upres 1390 CHU, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carayon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood; D004285:Dogs; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D001098:Spider Bites / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D002395:Catecholamines; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D012604:Scorpion Venoms