Trial of low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of viper bites.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the efficacy of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in the treatment of viper envenomation to combat the haematotoxicity and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

METHODOLOGY: Eighty patients with viper bite and incoagulable blood were randomized into two groups of 40 each. One group (Test group) received LMWH, in addition to the antisnake venom (ASV) and other routine measures received by the other group (Control group). Efficacy was assessed by monitoring the bleeding time (BT), whole blood clotting time (CT), prothrombin time (PT), platelet count, fibrinogen, blood urea (BU), serum creatinine, development of complications and overall outcome.

RESULTS

LMWH group showed favourable outcome in all the parameters except in the incidence of renal failure which was reversible in the majority of the cases. However the differences between the two groups were statistically not significant.

CONCLUSION

LMW heparin seems to have a beneficial role in the treatment of viper bites, but this needs to be confirmed by a larger trial using a higher dose of heparin.