Steroids in head injury.

Abstract

Failure of high-dose corticosteroid therapy to ameliorate intracranial hypertension or improve long-term neurologic outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury has been shown in several prospective, randomized clinical trials. Additionally, the risk of complications, including elevations in serum glucose levels and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, although relatively low, make routine use of glucocorticoids further unwarranted in head-injured patients.