Hydrocortisone may prevent occurrence of pneumonia

The French have conducted certain researches related to pneumonia and steroids. According to the results of their studies, those who have brain injuries may avoid complications linked with pneumonia, if they are cured with the steroid hydrocortisone. These latest researches have manifested some benefits of steroids for therapeutic purposes.
Pneumonia which is caused by traumatic brain injury is a severe condition. 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 patients who have brain injuries.
Early post-traumatic pneumonia requires serious medical care and hospitalization. The risk of death is quite high. Undoubtedly, 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 manifested that usage of corticosteroids can lower the appearing and severity of pneumonia.
A study linked with this condition was conducted 3 years from 2006 to 2009. 150 individuals that experienced different types of severe brain injuries were cured with the steroid hydrocortisone. Other patients with this disease were treated just with sugar pills. Over half of individuals that were treated with sugar pills started to suffer from pneumonia over the month. As for those who were treated with the steroid hydrocortisone, the results were more encouraging. Less than 36 % of them got pneumonia during the same period of time. Thus, they didn’t need to be ventilated mechanically. Moreover, they prevented respiratory problems that troubled the patients who were cured with sugar pills.
Dr. Lisandro Irizarry of the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City has noticed that the study is interesting but it requires further researches in order to be considered a part of standardized 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 result in great amounts of bacteria. It enhances the risk connected with pneumonia. So, when a body experiences such stress, as a trauma, certain hormones, including hydrocortisone, should be involved in healing. But this process may be suppressed by trauma. That’s why such individual needs an external supplement of steroids for a short period of time to increase healing responses of the body.
However these researches have proven usefulness of the steroid hydrocortisone for persons with brain injuries, some more studies have to be conducted. It demonstrates that steroids have capacity to save lives of people in certain cases.