Abstract:Objective To investigate the value of small dose of hydrocortisone sodium succinate in the treatment of systemic inflammatory reaction syndrome(SIRS) and multiple organ functional impairment in the elderly patients after viper snake bite. Methods A prospective trial was conducted on 60 elderly patients with SIRS and multiple organ functional impairment after viper snake bite admitted in our department from April 2009 to April 2013. They were randomly allocated into a control and a treatment group, with 30 patients in each group. Conventional treatment procedures were given to the patients in both groups. Additional low-dose of hydrocortisone sodium succinate was used to the patients in the treatment group. Inflammation-related indicators and clinical biochemical indices were determined for those patients before and in 1, 3, and 5d after the treatment. Results Before the treatment, there was no significant difference in above indicators between the 2 groups(P>0.05). In the control group, significant differences were found in creatine kinase(CK) and CK isoenzyme(CK-MB) levels at 3d after the treatment and before the treatment(P<0.05). While the differences in temperature(T), pulse(P), white blood cell(WBC), C-reactive protein(CRP), aspartate transaminase(AST), alanine transaminase(ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) levels were seen at 5d after the treatment(P<0.05). In the treatment group, the differences in T, and levels of CK and CK-MB were found at 1d after the treatment(P<0.05), while those in WBC, CRP, AST, ALT and LDH levels were seen at 3d after the treatment(P<0.05). Comparing the results from the control and the treatment groups, the statistical significant differences in CK and CK-MB levels appeared at 3d after treatment(P<0.05), while those in AST, ALT and LDH levels at 5d after treatment(P<0.05). Conclusion Low dose of hydrocortisone sodium succinate attenuates SIRS in the elderly patients after viper snake bite, and exerts protective effect on the functions of important organs.