Brain injuries and usage of corticosteroids

The French have conducted certain studies related to pneumonia and steroids. According to the results of their studies, those who have brain injuries can avoid complications linked with pneumonia, if they are cured with the steroid hydrocortisone. These latest researches have manifested some benefits of steroids for clinical needs.
Pneumonia which is caused by traumatic brain injury is a serious disease. Unfortunately, it is widely spread. The Journal of the American Medical Association has noted that the percentage of pneumonia which occurs due to traumas is 40-60 %. It is more spread among persons who 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 as well as economic problem.
Dr. Antoine Roquilly of the University of Nantes in France has reported that experimental and clinical data have shown that administration of corticosteroids may decrease the appearing as well as severity of pneumonia.
A research connected with this problem was conducted 3 years from 2006 to 2009. 150 persons who had different types of serious brain injuries were treated with the steroid hydrocortisone. Other persons with this condition were cured only with sugar pills. More than half of individuals that were given sugar pills started to suffer from pneumonia over the month. As for those who were cured with hydrocortisone, the results were better. Less than 36 % of them got pneumonia during the same period of time. So, they didn’t need to be ventilated mechanically. Furthermore, they prevented respiratory problems that troubled the individuals who were cured with sugar pills.
Dr. Lisandro Irizarry of the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City has noted that the study is interesting but it requires further studies in order to be claimed a part of standardized therapy.
 In fact, any person 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 lead to great amounts of bacteria. It enhances the risk related to pneumonia. So, when a body has such stress, as a trauma, several hormones, including hydrocortisone, must assist in healing. But this process may be suppressed by trauma. That’s why such person needs an external supplement of steroids for a short period of time to enhance healing responses of the body.
However these researches have proven effectiveness of the steroid hydrocortisone for persons with brain injuries, some more researches have to be conducted. It shows that steroids have ability to save lives of people in several cases.