Amit Badgal, Amrit Rai Badgal, Alok Raina, S K Bali, Sameer Abrol
ABSTRACT
Snake envenomation is a common medical emergency and an occupational hazard, more so in tropical India, where farming is a major source of employment. The Jammu region of the Jammu and Kashmir state, which is located in the sub-Himalayan range, is extremely rich in poisonous snakes. Most of the patients are victims of Russell’s viper or Echis carinatus bites, which cause acute kidney injury. Acute kidney injury following snake envenomation is associated with prolonged hospital stay, increased healthcare costs and high mortality especially in critically ill patients. As there were no prospective observational studies from the Jammu region, the present study was undertaken to know the incidence of acute kidney injury in patients with snake envenomation and to describe the clini¬cal profile of snake bite patients and ascertain the correlation between various clinical factors and the subsequent development of kidney injury. 55.6% of the patients with snake envenomation developed acute kidney injury as per Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria.
Keywords: snake envenomation, clinical profile, acute kidney injury