Urine Protein Excretion after Hymenoptera Sting

Abstract

The urinary excretion of albumin was measured on 7 consecutive days after a bee or wasp sting in 20 healthy persons, using a semiquantitative immunochemical chromatographic procedure (Micral^® stick). The mean albumin excretion was 11.1 ± 15.0 (SD) mg/l. This was not significantly different from the findings in a control group of 17 volunteers with no history of bee or wasp sting (mean 8.7 ± 17.4 mg/l). Pathologic albumin excretion (50–100 mg/l) was found in three of the sting group, with mean 37.2 ± 23.7 mg/l. After 2 more months the urinary albumin excretion had normalized in two of the three, with mean 19.3 ± 16.0 mg/l. Nephrotic syndrome did not occur. Reactions to the sting corresponded to 1–4 on the Müller scale, but were not correlated to albumin excretion.

Keywords:

• insect sting
• bees
• proteinuria
• nephrotic syndrome