title: Neurological complications secondary to severe scorpion envenomation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to study the incidence, clinical manifestations, and prognosis of neurological complications secondary to scorpion envenomation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study over a 13-year period including all patients admitted to our ICU for scorpion envenomation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the period of study, 951 patients were admitted due to scorpion envenomation. Mean age was 14.7+/-17.4 years, ranging from 0.5 to 90 years. Neuromuscular signs were observed in 739 patients (78%), coma (Glasgow Coma Score 12) in 15.4% of cases, and convulsions in 6%. The other neurological signs observed were: agitation in 709 patients (74.6%), squint in 119 patients (12.5%), bilateral miosis in 43 patients (5%), and a bilateral mydriasis in 16 patients (1.7%). Brain CT was performed in 10 patients, these being abnormal in 90% of cases. In our study the presence of coma (p<0.001), convulsions (p<0.001), bilateral miosis (P<0.001), and the presence of bilateral mydriasis (P<0.001) correlated with poor outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neurological manifestations were often observed in severe scorpion-envenomed patients and they correlated with poor outcome. Their mechanisms are complex. Prevention is highly warranted.
authors.affiliation: Service de Réanimation Médicale, CHU Habib Bourguiba, Sfax, Tunisia. bahloulmab@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Mabrouk
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahloul
authors.forename: Noureddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rekik
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chabchoub
authors.forename: Anis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaari
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ksibi
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kallel
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Damak
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaari
authors.forename: Chokri
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ben Hamida
authors.forename: Hedi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chelly
authors.forename: Mounir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouaziz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012604:Scorpion Venoms