Treatment of imported fire ant stings with mitigator sting and bite treatment--a randomized control study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of the commercially available product Mitigator Sting and Bite Treatment in reducing the pain after imported fire ant stings.


METHODS
Twenty-four volunteer subjects were exposed to imported fire ant stings on both fore-arms. The subjects received Mitigator paste on 1 arm and calamine lotion on the opposite arm, in a blinded manner, from 90 seconds to 10 minutes after exposure. Subjects recorded pain on a 100-mm visual analog scale 60 seconds, 20 minutes, and 3 days after exposure. A 2-tailed paired t test was used to compare the difference in reduction of pain over time between the Mitigator-treated arms and the calamine-treated arms.


RESULTS
At 60 seconds, the mean visual analog scale pain score was 23.9 mm for the Mitigator group and 24.5 mm for the calamine group. At 20 minutes, the mean score was 7.6 mm (delta = 16.3) for the Mitigator group and 12.7 mm (delta = 11.8) for the calamine group. At 3 days, the mean score was 2.4 mm (delta = 21.5) for the Mitigator group and 2.9 mm (delta = 21.6) for the calamine group. There was no significant difference between groups for change in visual analog scale pain score at 60 seconds, 20 minutes (P = .256), or 3 days (P = .64).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no significant difference in pain relief between calamine and Mitigator for imported fire ant stings.
Darnall Army Community Hospital, Fort Hood, TX, USA. hile_16@yahoo.com
David C
DC
Hile
Troy P
TP
Coon
Carl G
CG
Skinner
Lisa M
LM
Hile
Phillip
P
Levy
Manish M
MM
Patel
Michael A
MA
Miller
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000862:Ant Venoms / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D001000:Ants; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010636:Phenols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000862:Ant Venoms; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D010636:Phenols; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C010693:calamine, phenol drug combination; D015034:Zinc Oxide