• J Emerg Med · Dec 2017

    Resource Utilization After Snakebite Severity Score Implementation into Treatment Algorithm of Crotaline Bite.

    • Amanda L Fowler, Darrel W Hughes, Mark T Muir, Elizabeth M VanWert, Conrado D Gamboa, and John G Myers.
    • Department of Pharmacy, University Health System, San Antonio, Texas; Pharmacotherapy Division, the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas; Pharmacotherapy Education and Research Center, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
    • J Emerg Med. 2017 Dec 1; 53 (6): 854-861.

    BackgroundCrotaline envenomation clinical manifestations vary considerably among patients. Current recommendations for treatment with Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab require assessment of envenomation control. Determining control of envenomation, particularly when patients are evaluated by different providers in separate clinical settings, can be difficult.ObjectiveTo determine if a difference in total vials of Crotalidae antivenin therapy exists between pre-protocol and post-Snakebite Severity Score (SSS) protocol.MethodsRetrospective medical record review at an academic medical and regional Level I trauma center. Resource utilization in patients with a diagnosis of "snakebite" was compared between patients treated pre- and post-SSS protocol implementation.ResultsOne hundred forty-six patients were included in the evaluation. One hundred twenty-seven (87.0%) patients received antivenin, n = 80 (90.9%) in the pre-protocol group and n = 47 (81.0%) in the post-protocol group. Median total number of antivenin vials per patient was lower in the post-protocol group than the pre-protocol group, 16 (10-24 interquartile range) vs. 12 (10-16 interquartile range), p = 0.006. This decreased utilization correlates to an approximate $13,200 savings per patient. Hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, opioid use, incidence of blood product transfusion, need for surgical intervention, or need for intubation were not different between groups.ConclusionsA snakebite protocol with SSS utilization to guide antivenin administration results in significantly decreased antivenin therapy in snakebite patients without increase in other health care utilization.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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