Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>Rattlesnake envenomation is an important problem in the United States, and the management of these envenomations can be complex. Despite these complexities, however, the majority of such cases are managed without the involvement of a medical toxicologist. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a medical toxicology service (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content>) on the length of stay (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">LOS</jats:styled-content>) of such patients.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>The authors conducted a retrospective study at six centers in California. Patients were included if they were admitted in the 2 years before the establishment of a <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content> (pre‐<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content>) or in the 2 years after the creation of a <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content> (post‐<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content>).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>A total of 300 subjects were included (169 pre‐<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content>, 131 post <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content>). Baseline characteristics between the pre‐<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content> and post‐<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content> groups were very similar. The creation of a <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MTS</jats:styled-content> was associated with a significant reduction in the mean (95% confidence interval) <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">LOS</jats:styled-content> (69.5 [59.1–79.9] hours vs. 48.1 [41.4–54.8] hours). This reduced <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">LOS</jats:styled-content> was not associated with any statistically significant change in readmission rates.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>Rattlesnake bite patients treated by a medical toxicologist have a significantly reduced <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">LOS</jats:styled-content> compared to those without direct involvement of a medical toxicologist.</jats:p></jats:sec>