Avaliação vestibular em vítimas de acidente escorpiônico: estudo piloto

Abstract

Introduction: Scorpion stings are a long-reported public health event with a significant social and economic impact. Their epidemiological profile is strongly influenced by geographical factors such as climate, urbanization, housing infrastructure, and occupational environment. Symptoms of nausea and vomiting accompany the manifestation of vertigo or dizziness, with their own epidemiology, occurring in approximately 8% of recorded accidents, and are a frequent and relevant complaint requiring investigation. Considering the gap in the literature regarding protocols for targeted assessment of dizziness and vertigo complaints, this project aims to describe the process of improving the methodology applied to its evaluation, delving into the difficulties encountered and strategies used to overcome them. Methods: A longitudinal, observational, prospective, quantitative and qualitative pilot study was conducted with individuals treated at the emergency room of the Uberlândia’s Clinics Hospital from February 1st, 2025 to March 1st, 2025. Results: Throughout the study period, the emergency room of the Uberlândia’s Clinics Hospital reported 15 scorpion stings, of which 4 were in participants aged 13 years or younger; 3 were successfully recruited; of the remaining 8, 4 refused participation and 4 were discharged from the hospital before timely evaluation by the researchers. Discussion: At the end of each interview, recruitment attempt, or early discharge of a potential participant, a meeting was held with the team to review the data found and the gaps identified. Regarding the difficulties encountered in recruiting participants, private consultation rooms improved retention and adherence. As for absenteeism, adjusting the frequency of reassessment to the frequency of participants' visits for personal reasons promoted adherence to follow-up appointments. Concerning lack of communication between teams and discharge before contact with researchers, broad dissemination of the research, opening of various communication channels, and repeated awareness-raising with management, triage, and care teams were implemented to optimize recruitment. Throughout the pilot study, with the preliminary data review and peer review with researchers in the fields of otolaryngology and neurology, a data collection instrument was developed, serving as a reference for a structured anamnesis and enabling the standardization of the study. Conclusion: This pilot study fulfills its objective of identifying early field difficulties for research implementation, allowing the creation of mechanisms and strategies to avoid the difficulties encountered, and establishing a solid foundation for the continuity and reproduction of the project on a larger scale.