MID-REGIONAL PRO ATRIAL NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE (MR-PROANP) AS A NOVEL BIOMARKER FOR EARLY PREDICTION OF CARDIAC INJURY FOLLOWING SCORPION STING AMONG CHILDREN.

Background: Scorpion envenomation represents a vital health problem, especially in children. Scorpion venom causes diverse harmful side effects on different body systems; however, the most serious one is considered the cardiotoxic effect. Aim of the work: this study aims to predict heart failure in children following scorpion sting using MR-proANP (cardiac biomarker), owing to reduced sensitivity and specificity of currently used biomarkers. Subjects & methods: the study was carried out on 87 children patients presented to Minia University Poisoned Control Center (MUPCC) with a history of a scorpion sting (within the first hour of sting) during the period from 1st of June 2018 to the 31st of May 2020. Venous blood samples were drawn from patients for biochemical analysis (MRproANP and troponin I). Result: MR-proANP predicted clinical heart failure (HF) in the first hour of sting (sensitivity was73.91% and the specificity was 100%) and predicted sub-clinical heart failure after 6 hours of sting (sensitivity was 89.66% and the specificity was 91.67%); however, troponin I predicted HF only after 12 hours of the sting. Conclusion: MR-proANP was superior to troponin I in predicting HF due to scorpion envenomation.