scholarly journals Main Symptom that Led to Medical Evaluation and Diagnosis of Vestibular Schwannoma and Patient-Reported Tumor Size: Cross-sectional Study in 1,304 Patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (03) ◽  
pp. 316-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Peris-Celda ◽  
Christopher S. Graffeo ◽  
Avital Perry ◽  
Panagiotis Kerezoudis ◽  
Nicole M. Tombers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Tumor Size ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Tumor Biology ◽  
Initial Symptom ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tertiary Referral Center ◽  
Patient Reported

Objectives Although vestibular schwannomas (VS) are known to cause cranial nerve deficits, cerebellar symptoms, and hydrocephalus, the role of these symptoms as the key driver of presentation from the patient's perspective has not been described. Our objective was to survey a large, retrospective VS cohort to document the patient-reported principal initial symptom, and self-reported tumor size, and to study trends in VS patient presentation. Methods Patients diagnosed with VS at our tertiary referral center and belonging to the Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA) answered a questionnaire between 2015 and 2017. Demographic data, self-reported tumor size, and symptomatology were analyzed. Results 1,304 patients completed the questionnaire. Tumors were diagnosed from 1966 to 2017 at a mean 51.8 years (range: 8–86 years); 66% were female, and 1.1% had confirmed neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). Tumor size was reported using a 6-point scale: 0 to 1 cm (22.9%), 1 to 2 cm (28.7%), 2 to 3 cm (20.5%), 3 to 4 cm (10%), greater than 4 cm (7.2%), and unknown (10.6%). Hearing loss was the most common symptom that led to diagnosis (51.5%), followed by dizziness (17%), tinnitus (11.2%), and incidental diagnosis (10.2%); a fraction that has increased significantly in the last decade (p = 0.022). Larger tumors and NF2 were significantly associated with young age (p < 0.001). Conclusion Our large-scale questionnaire-driven review of 1,304 patients confirms that VS presentations are stereotypical, with most individuals recalling hearing loss, dizziness, or tinnitus as their chief complaint. Many tumors were incidentally diagnosed; an expanding population, attributable to increased access to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Large tumors were significantly more prevalent among younger patients at diagnosis, excluding NF2 patients, suggesting a more aggressive tumor biology that remains incompletely understood.

scholarly journals Comparison of sensorineural hearing loss characteristics in different hemodialysis vascular accesses

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Behieh Kohansall ◽  
Nasser Saeedi ◽  
Moeinoddin Hossein Beigi ◽  
Azam Moslemi ◽  
Akram Valizadeh
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Vascular Access ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Moderate Degree ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference

Background and Aim: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the complications in hemodialysis patients. Vascular access (VA) represents a lifeline for these patients affecting their life quality and clinical outcomes. Arterio­venous fistula is the gold standard of VAs with minor complications and better hemodialysis adequacy. There is no study investigating hearing differences in hemodialysis VAs. Hence, this study aimed to compare SNHL characteristics amongst hemodialysis VAs. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted on 64 patients aged 18−60 years received regular hemodialysis in 2019. Demographic data and comorbid conditions were recorded based on patients’ case records and electronic databases. After a physical examination, otoscopy, tympa­nometry, and conventional audiometry, patients were divided into fistula (n = 26), permanent catheter (n = 36), and temporary catheter (n = 2) groups according to vascular access type. Results: Prevalence rate of SNHL was 63.89%, 50% and 50% in the permanent catheter, fistula and temporary catheter groups, respectively. Most patients had mild sloping-SNHL in the per­manent catheter and fistula groups as against moderate degree in the other group. There was no significant difference in hearing thresholds, deg­ree and audiogram shape among VA groups. No significant relation was found between age, sex, hemodialysis duration and disease duration with hearing loss in all groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: More patients had SNHL in per­manent catheter group. Vascular access types, longer duration of hemodialysis and disease dur­ation do not seem to be associated with SNHL. However, further investigation is needed to cla­rify the relationship. Keywords: Sensorineural hearing loss; vascular access; chronic renal failure; hemodialysis

scholarly journals Patient reported cosmetic outcome after vacuum assisted excision of benign breast lesions: a cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (1114) ◽  
pp. 20190994
Author(s):  
Elles M.F. van de Voort ◽  
Taco M.A.L. Klem ◽  
Gerson M. Struik ◽  
Erwin Birnie ◽  
Renata H.J.A. Sinke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Size ◽  
Surgical Excision ◽  
Cosmetic Outcome ◽  
Study Patient ◽  
Breast Lesions ◽  
Benign Lesions ◽  
Complete Excision ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Benign Breast Lesions

Objective: Better cosmetic outcome after vacuum assisted excision (VAE) compared to surgical excision of benign breast lesions is suggested in previous studies but has never been evaluated with validated outcome measures. In this study, patient reported cosmetic outcome after VAE was evaluated. Methods: Patients who underwent VAE between July 2017 and December 2018 were invited to complete the cosmetic subscale of the Dutch Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale, comparing the treated with the untreated breast. Response mode ranged from 1 (no difference) to 4 (large difference) and cosmetic outcome was calculated as the unweighted mean. Clinical outcomes included: tumor size, number of cores, complications, residual lesions and recurrences. Results: Response rate was 73.4% (47 of 64 patients). Median tumor size was 15 mm (range 5–51 mm) and median number of cores 6.5 (range 1–85), complete excision was confirmed in all but two patients. Mean cosmetic outcome was good (mean score ≤1.75) in 74% of patients and no patients reported a poor cosmetic outcome (mean score >3.25). A hematoma occurred in five patients (one needed aspiration) and a skin rash in one patient, no patients developed an infection or seroma. Conclusion: In this study VAE is safe and effective for tumors up to 5 cm and patient reported cosmetic outcome was good. Patients with benign lesions could benefit from VAE as an alternative for surgical excision. Advances in knowledge: A formal quantitative measurement of cosmetic outcome after vacuum assisted excision for benign breast lesions was still lacking. This study shows that this cosmetic outcome is overall good in benign lesions up to 5 cm.

scholarly journals Improvement of Tinnitus following Tympanoplasty and Tympanomastoidectomy Surgeries in Patients with Chronic Otitis Media

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-69
Author(s):  
Masoumeh Saeedi ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Khosravi
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Otitis Media ◽  
Chronic Otitis Media ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tinnitus Severity ◽  
Spss Software

Background: After otorrhea and hearing loss, Tinnitus is the most common symptom in pa­tients with chronic otitis media (COM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the improvement of tinnitus in COM patients after tympanoplasty and tympanomastoidectomy surgeries. Mate­rials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on COM patients suffering from Tinnitus referred to Baqiyatallah hospital, Tehran, Iran undergoing tympanoplasty or tympano­mastoidectomy surgeries between March 2013 and August 2014. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaires were filled before and two months after surgery by each patient, and considered subjects were compared with each other. Audiometry test was taken from each patient before and two months after surgery. Audiometry results as well as Air-Bone gap were measured and evaluated prior and after surgery. Data were analyzed using SPSS software by ANOVA, sample t-test and Chi-square tests. Results: Eventually, 26 male and 24 female patients with a mean age of 38.62±11.88 years were enrolled. Air conduc­tion at all frequencies was 49.99±17.37 before and 36.98±22.06 after surgery (P<0.001). Sever­ity of tinnitus was 62.92±30.54 before and 30.54±20.08 after surgery based on THI (P<0.001). Also, it was 7.46±1.66 before and 3.5±2.06 after surgery based on VAS evaluations (P<0.001). Tinnitus severity reduction was significantly associated with the improvement of hearing loss and decrement of air-Bone gap (P<0.001). Tinnitus symptoms such as loudness, annoyance, impact on life and perception of Tinnitus significantly reduced after surgery. Moreover, Tym­panomastoidectomy was more effective on the improvement of Tinnitus in comparison with Tympanoplasty (P=0.019).Conclusion: It seems that, both tympanomastoidectomy and tympa­noplasty surgeries are effective on the improvement of tinnitus in patients with COM; however, Tympanomastoidectom surgery was shown to be more effective.[GMJ.2016;5(2):63-69]

scholarly journals Diagnostic Validity of Self-Reported Hearing Loss in Elderly Taiwanese Individuals: Diagnostic Performance of a Hearing Self-Assessment Questionnaire on Audiometry

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13215
Author(s):  
Tzong-Hann Yang ◽  
Yuan-Chia Chu ◽  
Yu-Fu Chen ◽  
Meng-Yu Chen ◽  
Yen-Fu Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Chinese Version ◽  
Cutoff Score ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Hearing Handicap ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Key Points: Question: Can the traditional Chinese version of the hearing handicap inventory for elderly screening (HHIE-S) checklist screen for age-related hearing loss (ARHL) in elderly individuals? Findings: In this cross-sectional study of 1696 Taiwanese patients who underwent annual government-funded geriatric health checkups, the Chinese version of the HHIE-S had a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 79.8% with a cutoff score greater than 6 for identifying patients with disabled hearing loss (defined as a PTA > 40 dB). Meaning: The traditional Chinese version of the HHIE-S is an effective test to detect ARHL and can improve the feasibility of large-scale hearing screening among elderly individuals. Purpose: The traditional Chinese version of the hearing handicap inventory for elderly screening (TC-HHIE-S) was translated from English and is intended for use with people whose native language is traditional Chinese, but its effectiveness and diagnostic performance are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the traditional Chinese version of the HHIE-S for screening for age-related hearing loss (ARHL). Methods: A total of 1696 elderly people underwent the government’s annual geriatric medical examination at community hospitals. In this cross-sectional study, we recorded average conducted pure-tone averages (PTA) (0.5 kHz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz), age, sex, and HHIE-S data. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the best critical point for detecting hearing impairment, and the validity of the structure was verified by the agreement between the TC-HHIE-S and PTA results. Results: The HHIE-S scores were correlated with the better-ear pure-tone threshold averages (PTAs) at 0.5–4 kHz (correlation coefficient r = 0.45). The internal consistency of the total HHIE-S score was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.901), and the test-retest reliability was also excellent (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 0.60, intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.75). In detecting disabled hearing loss (i.e., PTA at 0.5–4 kHz > 40 dB), the HHIE-S cutoff score of > 6 had a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 79.8%. Conclusions: The traditional Chinese version of the HHIE-S is a valid, reliable, and efficient tool for large-scale screening for ARHL.

scholarly journals Healthcare utilization and costs among prolactinoma patients: a cross-sectional study and analysis of determinants

Pituitary ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel van der Meulen ◽  
Amir H. Zamanipoor Najafabadi ◽  
Daniel J. Lobatto ◽  
Wilbert B. van den Hout ◽  
Cornelie D. Andela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Healthcare Utilization ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Specialist Care ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tertiary Referral Center ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Self Reported Health Status

Abstract Purpose Prolactinomas are the most prevalent functioning pituitary adenomas. They affect gonadal function as well as health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to report healthcare utilization and costs, including their determinants, for prolactinoma patients. Methods Cross-sectional study of 116 adult prolactinoma patients in chronic care in a Dutch tertiary referral center. Patients completed four validated questionnaires, assessing healthcare utilization and costs over the previous 12 months (Medical Consumption Questionnaire), disease bother and needs (Leiden Bother and Needs Questionnaire Pituitary), HRQoL (Short Form-36), and self-reported health status (EuroQol 5D). Regression analyses were used to assess associations between disease-related characteristics and healthcare utilization and costs. Results Mean age was 52.0 years (SD 13.7) and median follow-up was 15.0 years (IQR 7.6–26.1). Patients visited the endocrinologist (86.2%), general practitioner (37.9%), and ophthalmologist (25.0%) most frequently. Psychological care was used by 12.9% of patients and 5% were admitted to hospital. Mean annual healthcare costs were €1928 (SD 3319), mainly for pituitary-specific medication (37.6% of total costs), hospitalization (19.4%) and specialist care (16.1%). Determinants for higher healthcare utilization and costs were greater disease bother and needs for support, lower HRQoL, elevated prolactin, and longer disease duration, while tumor size, hypopituitarism and adrenal insufficiency were not significantly associated with healthcare utilization and costs. Conclusion Healthcare utilization and costs of prolactinoma patients are related to patient-reported HRQoL, bother by disease and needs for support. Therefore, addressing patients’ HRQoL and needs is a way forward to improve efficiency of care and patients’ health status.

scholarly journals DIAGNOSTIC DIFFICULTIES IN BACTERIAL SPONDYLODISCITIS

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 299-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinicius Orso ◽  
Afrane Serdeira ◽  
Marcus Ziegler ◽  
Erasmo Zardo
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Initial Symptom ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Main Complaint ◽  
Lumbar Segment ◽  
Diagnostic Difficulties

Objective : To analyze aspects related to the diagnostic difficulty in patients with bacterial spondylodiscitis. Methods : Cross-sectional observational study with retrospective data collected in the period from March 2004 to January 2014.Twenty-one patients diagnosed with bacterial spondylodiscitis were analyzed. Results : Women were the most affected, as well as older individuals. Pain in the affected region was the initial symptom in 52% of patients, and 45.5% of the patients had low back pain, and those with dorsal discitis had back pain as the main complaint; the patients with thoracolumbar discitis had pain in that region, and only one patient had sacroiliac discitis. The average time between onset of symptoms and treatment was five months. The lumbar segment was the most affected with 11 cases (52%), followed by thoracolumbar in 24%, dorsal in 19% of cases and a case in the sacroiliac segment. Only seven patients had fever. Pain in the affected level was coincidentally the most common symptom. Conclusions : Early diagnosis of bacterial spondylodiscitis remains a challenge due to the nonspecific signs and symptoms reported by the patient and the wide variability of laboratory results and imaging. The basis for early diagnosis remains the clinical suspicion at the time of initial treatment.

301 Drivers and Components of Hospital Costs After Transsphenoidal Resection of Sellar Tumors

Neurosurgery ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (CN_suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 263-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Guan ◽  
Michael Karsy ◽  
Erica Fay Bisson ◽  
William T Couldwell
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Tumor Size ◽  
Transsphenoidal Surgery ◽  
Patient Reported Outcomes ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Hospital Costs ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Patient Reported

Abstract INTRODUCTION Assessing treatment costs of transsphenoidal surgery for removal of sellar lesions can be complex. Few data are available regarding what contributes to higher costs after these procedures. The goals of this study were to clarify cost drivers in transsphenoidal sellar surgery, to determine what categories contributed the most to these costs, and to evaluate the relationship between expenditures and short-term patient-reported outcomes. METHODS The authors used a proprietary institutional database tool the Value Driven Outcomes database to review prospectively collected data on transsphenoidal sellar surgery over a nearly 5-year period. Hospital costs, demographic data, disease-specific variables, hospital-related measures, and patient-reported outcomes in the form of Euro-QoL-5D (EQ-5D) responses were collected for all patients. RESULTS >One hundred seventeen patients met the inclusion criteria. A multivariable logistic regression model for hospital costs showed a significant association between higher costs and adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting tumors (OR 30.409, 95% CI 2.695-343.121), larger tumor size (OR 1.084, 95% CI 1.026-1.146), and in-hospital complications (OR 4.209, 95% CI 1.268-13.968). The largest contributor to hospital costs in our cohort was facility cost (75%), followed by pharmacy (13%) and supply (7%) costs. Most patients (65.8%) had stable or improved EQ-5D responses at 1-month follow-up, with significantly lower preoperative EQ-5D scores than those who reported worsened quality of life (0.776 ± 0.209 vs. 0.867 ± 0.148, P = 0.015) and significantly higher postoperative EQ-5D scores (0.887 ± 0.144 vs. 0.759 ± 0.144, P < 0.001) on univariate analysis. CONCLUSION Most patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery for sellar tumors experience stable or improved postoperative quality of life, even shortly after surgery. Factors associated with increased costs of surgery included larger tumor size and in-hospital complications. Using these data, further study can be directed at determining which interventions may improve the value of transsphenoidal surgery.

scholarly journals HEARING LOSS AND HEALTH CARE SATISFACTION

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S43-S43
Author(s):  
Nicholas Reed ◽  
Nicholas Reed ◽  
Amber Willink ◽  
Jennifer Deal ◽  
Frank R lin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Patient Provider Communication ◽  
Adjusted Logistic Regression

Abstract Hearing loss (HL) impacts two-thirds of adults over 70 years and affects patient-provider communication which could limit satisfaction. We used two cross-sectional cohorts, The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC, n=250) and the Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey (MCBS, n=12,311) to examine the relationship between HL (subjective and objective measures) and self-report satisfaction with quality of health care using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression. In ARIC, there was an interaction between HL and age such that HL had a greater impact on odds of dissatisfaction as age increased. In an 85-year-old, for every 10 dB increase in HL, the odds of being dissatisfied increased 1.33 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]:0.96-1.83). In MCBS, compared to participants with no trouble hearing, those with a lot of trouble hearing had 1.7 times the odds ( 95% CI = 1.150-2.623) of being dissatisfied. This has implications for patient-centered care planning given that Medicare ties reimbursement to patient-reported satisfaction.

scholarly journals AB0174 FATIGUE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1113.2-1113
Author(s):  
A. Fazaa ◽  
H. Boussaa ◽  
K. Ouenniche ◽  
S. Miladi ◽  
M. Sellami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Tender Joint Count ◽  
P Value ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Tender Joint ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean

Background:Fatigue is a common symptom in many chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is considered one of the most frustrating, uncontrollable, and overwhelming symptoms. However, most of rheumatologists do not assess fatigue despite its clinical significance and its impact on patients’ lives.Objectives:The aims of this study were to determine whether RA patients express more fatigue than healthy controls, and to analyze its correlation with disease activity.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study including patients with RA (ACR/EULAR 2010) and healthy controls matched for sex and age. Patients with other acute or chronic diseases that may induce fatigue (such as cancer, infection or depression) were excluded. Demographic data and the following clinical parameters were collected: pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Global Patient Assessment (GPA), tender joint count (TJC) and swollen joint count (SJC), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), C Protein Reactive (CRP), Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Fatigue was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy – Fatigue (FACIT-F) which is a short 13-item questionnaire validated in RA. The score FACIT-F ranges between 0 and 52. Fatigue was considered mild if the FACIT-F score was ≥40, moderate if 20≤FACIT-F<40 and severe if 0≤FACIT-F<20. A p value inferior to 0.05 was considered significant.Results:We included 100 RA patients (84 women and 16 men) with a mean age of 49.5±10 years old [18-65]. The mean disease duration was 87.3 months [1-360]. The mean pain VAS was 49 cm [0-100] and the mean GPA was 47.8 cm [0-100]. The mean TJC and SJC were 5.3 [0-36] and 1 [0-9] respectively. The mean levels of ESR and CRP were 38.1 mm [10-120] and 10.8 mg/l [2-61] respectively. The mean DAS28 ESR was 3.68 [1.90-8.33] and the mean HAQ score was 0.90 [0-2.75].Thirty-nine healthy controls were enrolled including 35 women and 4 men with a mean age of 51.2 years old [30-64].The mean FACIT-F score was 27.1 [0-51] in RA patients versus 46.2 [0-52] in healthy controls (p<0.001). Among RA patients, 57% had moderate fatigue and 26% had severe fatigue.A significant negative correlation was noted between the FACIT-F score and the following parameters in RA patients: TJC (r=-0.568, p<0.001), SJC (r=-0.274, p<0.001), pain VAS (r=-0.605, p<0.001), GPA (r=-0.658, p<0.001), ESR (r=-0.405, p<0.001), CRP (r=-0.149, p<0.001), DAS28 (r=-0.837, p<0.001) and HAQ (r=-0.634, p<0.001).Conclusion:Fatigue was significantly more observed in RA patients. This symptom was correlated with disease activity and disability. It is important to recognize and manage fatigue in order to improve patients’ quality of life.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

scholarly journals A Retrospective Study on Snakebite Victims in a Tertiary Referral Center

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-50
Author(s):  
Nasim Zamani ◽  
◽  
Leila Modir-Fallah Rad ◽  
Kambiz Soltaninejad ◽  
Shahin Shadnia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Tertiary Referral ◽  
Tertiary Referral Hospital ◽  
Laboratory Findings ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tertiary Referral Center

Background: Snakebite is a serious public health problem in the world. The annual incidence of snakebites ranges from 4.5-9.1 in 100,000 population in Iran. With regard to diversity of envenomation profiles in different geographical parts of Iran, the aim of this study was to determine the demographical data, clinical and laboratory findings, and the outcome of the snakebite victims referred to a tertiary referral hospital. Methods: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study in Loghman Hakim Hospital Poisoning Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, during a four-year period from March 2007 to March 2011. The demographic data, clinical manifestations, paraclinical findings, treatments performed before hospital admission, time elapsed between the bite and hospital admission, total dose of antivenom and the patients’ outcomes were investigated. Results: Seventy cases (58 males, 12 females) were evaluated. Most of the cases (79%) were older than 20 year old. The most common bite site was upper extremity (67%). Most of the patients were admitted within 5 h after the snakebite. The most common local and systemic manifestations were swelling (90%), pain (81.4%), nausea and vomiting (24.3%). Leukocytosis (35.7%) and thrombocytopenia (25.7%) were the most common laboratory abnormalities. Most of the patients (97.1%) were treated with antivenom. Fifty percent of the patients only received 3-5 vials of antivenom. The mortality rate was 1.4%. Necrosis of the toes and compartment syndrome were the only serious complications. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the importance of early admission to the hospital and treatment with antivenom to avoid morbidity and mortality.

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