Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
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Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop. · Jan 2008
Comparative Study[Comparison between the epidemiology of accidents and the clinical features of envenoming by snakes of the genus Bothrops, among elderly and non-elderly adults].
This study had the aim of ascertaining epidemiological and clinical differences in envenoming caused by Bothrops spp between elderly adults (>60 years) and non-elderly adults (20 to 59 years). The data were obtained from 1,930 medical records of patients attended at the Butantan Institute between 1981 and 1992. ⋯ Necrosis was more common among the elderly patients (p < 0.05) and renal failure was more common among patients aged 50 years or over (p < 0.05), in relation to younger patients. It was concluded that elderly individuals are more often bitten on the hands and less often on the feet, and that they develop local necrosis and renal failure more frequently than do younger individuals.