[Treatment results in severe craniocerebral trauma with and without dexamethasone therapy]

A retrospective study was performed to determine the effect of dexamethasone-therapy on the outcome of severe head injuries not combined with other serious injuries. Between 1981 and 1983 we treated 53 of 110 patients with an initial dose of 40 mg dexamethasone followed by 16 mg daily for 10 days. There was no statistically significant difference in the outcome and the lethality of the steroid and nonsteroid group. Infections or other complications did not occur more frequent in dexamethasone-therapy.