title: The use and tolerability of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune FAB (Ovine) in pediatric envenomations.
abstract: There are limited data on the use of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune FAB-Ovine (CroFab) in the management of crotalid envenomations in children. Thus, the primary objective of this retrospective chart review was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of CroFab in a pediatric population. Over an 8-year time period at this institution, there were 204 admissions for snakebite of which 82 received CroFab. Children who received CroFab were more often associated with bites to the hands and fingers and tended to have more significant envenomations as indicated by longer hospital stays, greater tissue injury, and a tendency to require surgery more often. Six (7.3%) of the 82 patients who received CroFab experienced an adverse drug reaction. Reactions consisted of allergic symptoms that were mild, responded to minimal interventions, and did not limit the subsequent use of CroFab. It is concluded that CroFab use is typically well tolerated in pediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA. farrarhank@uams.edu
authors.forename: Henry C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Farrar
authors.forename: Taylor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grayham
authors.forename: Branson
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bolden
authors.forename: Dileep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Laura P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017819:Viperidae
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; C431183:Crotalidae Polyvalent immune Fab; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments