Role of the steroid hydrocortisone in prevention of pneumonia in persons with brain injuries

The French have conducted certain researches connected with pneumonia and steroids. According to the results of their researches, those who experience brain injuries can avoid complications linked with pneumonia, if they are cured with the steroid hydrocortisone. These latest researches have manifested certain positive effects of steroids for therapeutic purposes.
Pneumonia which is caused by traumatic brain injury is a serious disease. Unluckily, it occurs often. The Journal of the American Medical Association has noted that the percentage of pneumonia which appears due to traumas is 40-60 %. It is more spread among people that have experienced brain injuries.
Early post-traumatic pneumonia requires serious medical care and hospitalization. The risk of death is quite high. Of course, prevention of this condition is clinical as well as economic issue.
Dr. Antoine Roquilly of the University of Nantes in France has confirmed that experimental and clinical data have demonstrated that administration of corticosteroids can lower the occurrence as well as severity of pneumonia.
A study linked with this condition was conducted 3 years from 2006 to 2009. 150 persons that experienced different types of serious brain injuries were treated with the corticosteroid hydrocortisone. Other patients with this disease were treated only with sugar pills. Over half of individuals that were treated with sugar pills began to suffer from pneumonia over the month. As for those who were cured with hydrocortisone, the results were more encouraging. Less than 36 % of them acquired pneumonia during the same period of time. Thus, they didn’t need to be ventilated mechanically. Moreover, they prevented respiratory problems which troubled the individuals who were treated with sugar pills.
Dr. Lisandro Irizarry of the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City has stated that the research is interesting but it requires further studies in order to be claimed a part of usual therapy.
 In fact, any person that has suffered from 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 can lead to great amounts of bacteria. It increases the risk connected with pneumonia. So, when a body has such stress, as a trauma, some hormones, including hydrocortisone, must be involved in healing. But this process can be blocked by trauma. That’s why such patient needs an external supplement of steroids for a short period of time in order to increase healing responses of the body.
However these researches have proven effectiveness of the steroid hydrocortisone for patients with brain injuries, some more researches have to be conducted. It manifests that steroids have ability to save lives of people in several situations.