Hyperglycemia is a risk factor for high-grade envenomations after European viper bites (Vipera spp.) in children.

CONTEXT: Hyperglycemia has been described in severe scorpion envenomation, we wanted to analyze if it was applicable to viper bites in children.

AIM: To describe clinical, biological, and therapeutic characteristics of 83 children bitten by European viper (Vipera spp.) and to confirm that hyperglycemia is a risk factor for high-grade envenomation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted between 2001 and 2014 in the pediatric emergency department of a tertiary level children's hospital. Collected data were: age and sex of children; day and time of admission; day, time and circumstances of the accident; snake identification; bite location; envenomation severity; presence of fang marks; prehospital care; laboratory abnormalities, use of specific immunotherapy, associated treatments; length of stay; hospital course.

RESULTS: Eighty-three children were included (62 boys, 21 girls). The mean age was 7.4 ± 3.9 years. Bites were most often located on the lower extremities (66%). The classification of envenomation was: 83% low grade (absent or minor envenomation) and 17% high grade (moderate to severe envenomation). All high-grade envenomations received specific immunotherapy (Viperfav(TM), (Aventis Pasteur, MSD, Lyon, France). Being bitten on an upper extremity (odds ratio [OR] 51.1 95% class interval [CI] [6.1-424], p < 0.0001), during the afternoon (OR 13.4 95% CI [1.7-107.9], p = 0.015), feeling violent pain (OR 4.2 95% CI [1.1-16.5], p = 0.023), and high initial plasma glucose level (6.5 ± 1.7 mmol/L versus 5.0 ± 0.9 mmol/L, p = 0.027) were associated with a significant risk of high-grade envenomation.

CONCLUSION: We have confirmed a potential link between initial hyperglycemia and the risk of progression to high-grade envenomation as well as its association with other published predictive factors.