Efficacy analysis of methylprednisolone plus adrenaline to treat wasp sting injury.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of methylprednisolone (MP) plus adrenaline to treat patients injured by wasp stings.


METHODS
This study was carried out at The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei Province, China, from June to November 2008. A total of 45 cases were divided into 2 groups. The MP was used alone in the control group, and MP plus adrenaline was used in the observation group. We compared the clinical effect between the 2 groups.


RESULTS
The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (64.05 +/- 59.31 versus 124.14 +/- 80.01 U/L), and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CKMB) (90.32 +/- 85.19 versus 216.68 +/- 277.58 umol/L) levels of the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group. The length of hospital stay of the observation group was significantly shorter than that of the control group (7.23 +/- 2.93 versus 11.23 +/- 8.02), while complications from the wasp sting were fewer than those of the control group. In addition, the level of peripheral blood leukocytes was positively correlated with the number of stings (r=0.733, p=0.001), levels of ALT and CKMB (r=0.627, p=0.001, and r=0.705, p=0.001), and length of hospital stay (r=0.667, p=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Allergic and inflammatory responses play an important role in addition to the direct effect of wasp venom on the human body. Compared with MP alone, early combination of adrenaline helps to further inhibit the diffusion of allergy and inflammatory cytokines, and therefore reduce the severity of injury.
Xia
Jing-Biao
JB
Department of Nephrology, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yiling Road #183, Yichang, Hubei Province 443003, China. xiajingbiao@126.com.
Xu
Shuang-Shuang
SS
Zhang
Xiang-Wen
XW
Zhong
Wen-Qi
WQ
Peng
Ai-Min
AM
D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D007902:Length of Stay; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity*; D014863:Wasps / Q000187:drug effects
D014862:Wasp Venoms; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D008775:Methylprednisolone; D004837:Epinephrine