Prevention of pneumonia with steroids

The French have conducted several researches connected with pneumonia and steroids. According to the results of their researches, those who experience brain injuries can avoid complications related to pneumonia, if they are treated with the steroid hydrocortisone. These latest studies have manifested certain benefits of steroids for therapeutic purposes.
Pneumonia which is caused by traumatic brain injury is a severe disease. Unfortunately, it occurs often. The Journal of the American Medical Association has noticed that the percentage of pneumonia which appears due to traumas is 40-60 %. It is more spread among patients who have experienced brain injuries.
Early post-traumatic pneumonia requires serious medical care and hospitalization. The risk of death is enhanced. Of course, prevention of this disease is clinical as well as economic issue.
Dr. Antoine Roquilly of the University of Nantes in France has claimed that experimental and clinical data have manifested 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 individuals that had different types of dangerous brain injuries were treated with the corticosteroid hydrocortisone. Other patients with this disease were treated only with sugar pills. More than half of individuals that were given sugar pills began to experience 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. Thus, they didn’t need to be ventilated mechanically. Furthermore, they prevented respiratory problems which troubled the patients that were cured with sugar pills.
Dr. Lisandro Irizarry of the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City has stated that the study is interesting but it requires further researches in order to be considered a part of standardized treatment.
 Actually, any person that has suffered from a brain injury can confront the problem, when he/she doesn’t have capacity to engage in normal oral hygiene and routine expectorating of mucus. It may result in great amounts of bacteria. It enhances the risk related to pneumonia. So, when a body experiences such stress, as a trauma, several hormones, including hydrocortisone, have to assist in healing. But this process can 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 demonstrates that steroids have capacity to save lives of people in several situations.