Steroid Treatments for Brain Injury May Boost Death Risk

Steroid medications commonly used to reduce inflammation caused by traumatic head injuries may actually boost the risk of death, a new report suggests.

British researchers evaluated the results of more than 10,000 patients with brain injury. They found that those treated with corticosteroids after traumatic head injury were more likely to die from the injury than those who did not take the drugs.

Among those who received steroid treatment, 21 percent — or 1,052 of the 4,985 patients treated — died, the authors reported, compared to 18 percent who received a placebo.

“There is a 3 percent absolute increase in the risk of death such that 21 percent of patients die with steroids and 18 percent die without,” said lead researcher Dr. Ian Roberts, a professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

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