Positive effects of steroids for those with brain injuries

The French have conducted some researches connected with pneumonia and steroids. According to the results of their researches, those who experience brain injuries may avoid complications connected with pneumonia, if they are cured with the steroid hydrocortisone. These recent researches have displayed several positive effects of steroids for therapeutic purposes.
Pneumonia that is caused by traumatic brain injury is a serious illness. Unfortunately, it occurs often. The Journal of the American Medical Association has noticed that the percentage of pneumonia which occurs due to traumas is 40-60 %. It is more spread among patients that have experienced brain injuries.
Early post-traumatic pneumonia requires serious medical care and hospitalization. The risk of death is enhanced. Undoubtedly, prevention of this condition is clinical and economic problem.
Dr. Antoine Roquilly of the University of Nantes in France has reported that experimental and clinical data have demonstrated that usage of corticosteroids can decrease the appearing as well as severity of pneumonia.
A study related to this problem was conducted 3 years from 2006 to 2009. 150 individuals that experienced different types of serious brain injuries were treated with the steroid hydrocortisone. Other persons with this condition were treated just with sugar pills. Over half of patients that were given sugar pills began to suffer from pneumonia over the month. As for those who were treated with hydrocortisone, the results were better. Less than 36 % of them acquired pneumonia during the same period of time. So, they didn’t need to be ventilated mechanically. Furthermore, they prevented respiratory problems that troubled the patients who were given sugar pills.
Dr. Lisandro Irizarry of the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City has noted that the research is interesting but it requires further researches in order to be considered a part of standardized treatment.
Actually, any individual that has experienced a brain injury may confront the problem, when he/she doesn’t have capacity to engage in usual oral hygiene and routine expectorating of mucus. It may result in great amounts of bacteria. It increases the risk related to pneumonia. So, when a body experiences such stress, as a trauma, certain hormones, including hydrocortisone, have to be involved in healing. But this process may be blocked by trauma. That’s why such person needs an external supplement of steroids for a short period of time in order to enhance healing responses of the body.
However these studies have proven effectiveness of the steroid hydrocortisone for individuals with brain injuries, some more studies have to be conducted. It manifests that steroids have ability to save lives of people in certain situations.