Comparative study of the efficacy and safety of two polyvalent, caprylic acid fractionated [IgG and F(ab0)2] antivenoms, in Bothrops asper bites in Colombia

Fecha

2012-02

Tipo

artículo original

Autores

Otero Patiño, Rafael
Segura Ruiz, Álvaro
Pereañez, Jaime Andrés
Herrera Vega, María
Angulo Ugalde, Yamileth
León Montero, Guillermo
Gutiérrez, José María
Barona, Jacqueline
Estrada, Sebastián
Quintana, Juan Carlos

Título de la revista

ISSN de la revista

Título del volumen

Editor

Resumen

The efficacy and safety of two polyvalent horse-derived antivenoms in Bothrops asper envenomings were tested in a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial performed in Colombia. Both antivenoms were manufactured from the same pool of hyperimmune plasma. Antivenom A was made of F(ab′)2 fragments, generated by pepsin digestion and caprylic acid precipitation, whereas antivenom B consisted of whole IgG molecules produced by caprylic acid precipitation followed by ion-exchange chromatography. Besides the different nature of the active substance, antivenom B had higher protein concentration, slightly higher turbidity and aggregate content. No significant differences were observed in the efficacy of antivenoms. Both halted local and systemic bleeding (P = 0.40) within 6–12 h of treatment in 100% of the cases, and restored blood coagulation (P = 0.87) within 6–24 h in 84.7% of patients, and within 48 h in all of them, in agreement with restoration of plasma fibrinogen concentration. Venom concentrations in serum dropped significantly (P < 0.001), to very low levels, 1 h after antivenom infusion. Nevertheless, eight patients (11.1%), four for each antivenom, presented recurrence of venom antigenaemia at different times, from 6 to 96 h, with clinical significance (recurrent coagulopathy) only in one group B patient (2.9%). Serum creatine kinase (CK) activity was increased, as a consequence of local myonecrosis. There was no significant difference (P = 0.51) in the incidence of early adverse reactions to antivenom administration (28.9% for patients of group A and 20.6% for patients of group B), most of the reactions being mild, mainly cutaneous. The most frequent complications were cellulitis (16.7%), abscess formation (5.6%), acute renal failure (8.3%), and compartmental syndrome (5.6%). In conclusion, IgG and F(ab′)2 antivenoms, prepared by caprylic acid fractionation, presented similar efficacy and safety profiles for the treatment of B. asper envenomings in Colombia.

Descripción

2082-02 Embargo por política editorial

Palabras clave

Antivenom, Venom, Envenoming, Bothrops asper, Colombia, IgG, F(ab0)2, Caprylic acid fractionation, Early adverse reactions, Snake venom

Colecciones