A new study revealed that progesterone, which showed promise in smaller clinical trials, is not an effective method of treatment for TBI victims.
After a large clinical trial that investigated the effects of progesterone on patients who sustained a severe brain injury, the study resulted in no clinical improvements for those who participated, despite experimental support from several animal models and promising data collected from smaller trials, states Forbes. While conducting this study, researchers gave almost 2,000 patients between the ages of 16 and 70 a placebo or progesterone within eight hours after they incurred a traumatic brain injury and continued to do so for 120 hours after the initial trauma occurred.
Additional implications of the study
Not only did this trial discover that progesterone is an ineffective method of treatment for TBI patients, but it also suggests that finding a drug that can have a positive impact on the effects of a brain injury may be a difficult process, states Forbes. This is because the outcome of a TBI can be affected by a variety of different medical and surgical factors. Progesterone may have been effective for the animal participants because these models typically only reproduce one specific aspect of the injury.
Others suggest that genetics may play a role in treating TBIs and that these injuries may need to be dealt with similar to how diseases like cancer are managed. For example, unique therapies may have to be developed that are focused on the genetic changes that occur biochemically after trauma to the head is sustained.
The symptoms of brain damage
Since researchers are still working on an effective way to treat TBIs, as illustrated in the progesterone clinical trials, those who incur a brain injury may experience its effects for days, weeks or even months after the initial trauma. Additionally, brain injury victims may experience varying effects that fall into four major categories, which include cognitive, perceptual, physical and behavioral, states WebMD.
For example, one TBI victim may have difficulties processing information, experience an inability to sense time and easily become mentally and physically fatigued for a few weeks after the injury occurs. In comparison, another person who incurs a brain injury may experience balance issues, sensitivity to light, slurred speech and a shortened attention span for several months after the initial trauma.
Seeking compensation
Because brain injuries are highly unpredictable, those who incur one in California may be unable to go back to work, school or perform basic daily activities and may also require extensive medical care for an unknown period of time. If you sustained a brain injury due to the negligence of another person, speak with an attorney to find out what compensation may be available to you.