بررسي اثرات درماني دگزامتازون بر روي بيماران مبتلا به سكته مغزي

EVALUATION OF THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF DEXAMETHASONE ON PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM STROKE

Stroke is one of the common neurological disorders which results in both high mortality and morbidity and various complications. One of the important complications is brain edema for which various drugs are used and dexamethasone is one of the drugs used for treating brain edema. In recent years there have been conflicting reports on the usage of dexamethasone. We therefore decided to evaluate the effect of this drug on patients who had suffered from a stroke for the first time in their lives. 210 patients who had suffered form cerebral infarction for the first time were included in this prospective double blind clinical trial study. The patients were randomly divided into two equal groups. The patients in one group were treated with dexamethasone while the other group with placebo. Otherwise, all patients in both groups were treated with the same drugs, including the other drugs used for reduction of brain edema. The rate of mortality and morbidity, duration of hospitalization level of consciousness and disorders of motor and sensory function were compared in both the groups. No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups except that only the disorders of motor function were more in the group receiving dexamethasone and this was also statistically significant. Taking into consideration the result of this study and other associated complications of dexamethasone itself, it is advisable not to use dexamethasone in patients suffering from stroke and it is better to use other drugs for reducing the brain edema.