Diagnostic cardiac premonitory signs and symptoms of red scorpion sting.

The symptoms and signs of 51 patients with a history of scorpion sting were studied. Acute pulmonary oedema with peripheral circulatory failure due to myocarditis developed in 10. Pulmonary oedema appeared within thirty minutes to ten hours after the sting. 5 out of 7 male patients in whom pulmonary oedema subsequently developed presented with priapism. Profuse sweating, mydriasis, vomiting, and peripheral circulatory failure were also seen, and, in 1 patient, the clinical picture was suggestive on pancreatitis. The remaining 40 patients has severe local pain only and no subsequent cardiac manifestations. There appears to be a positive correlation between occurrence of priapism in a male and the later development of cardiac manifestations after a scorpion sting.