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An assessment of oxidant/antioxidant status in patients with snake envenomation
  1. Suat Zengin1,
  2. Behcet Al1,
  3. Pinar Yarbil2,
  4. Remzi Guzel1,
  5. Mustafa Orkmez3,
  6. Cuma Yildirim1,
  7. Seyithan Taysi3
  1. 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Gaziantep University School of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey
  2. 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Şehitkamil State Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey
  3. 3Department of Biochemistry, Gaziantep University School of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey
  1. Correspondence to Dr Suat Zengin, Emergency Department of Medicine Faculty, Gaziantep University School of Medicine, Gaziantep 27100, Turkey; zengins76{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the antioxidant status (TAS), oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) in patients with snake envenomation and to learn more about the pathophysiology of snake envenomation.

Method Between May 2009 and October 2010, 47 patients were admitted to our emergency department with snake bites, and as a control group 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Serum, plasma, and erythrocyte components were prepared for all patients on admission and at the control after 1 month. Serum TOS/TAS levels were measured.

Results No correlation was observed among age, gender and the levels of TAS, TOS and OSI. TAS, TOS and OSI levels were higher in snake envenomation patients upon arrival at the emergency department than in the healthy control group. Upon admission, all levels of patients with snake envenomation were higher than the control levels taken after 1 month.

Conclusions Serum TAS, TOS and OSI levels increase in snake envenomation patients. The results obtained in this study indicate that the snake bite was associated with a shift to an oxidative state, and oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of snake envenomation.

  • emergency department
  • environmental medicine, envenomation
  • toxicology

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