title: Ineffectiveness of dantrolene sodium in the treatment of heatstroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the efficacy of dantrolene sodium in the treatment of heatstroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Heatstroke center in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two adult patients with heatstroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were assigned to receive either dantrolene sodium (2 mg/kg body weight iv) or placebo. Conventional cooling therapy was initiated in all.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the mean cooling times for the treatment and control groups (67.9 vs. 69 min). There was only one death in the control group. Complications were seen in six (23%) patients receiving dantrolene sodium and seven (27%) patients receiving placebo; the difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the mean number of hospital days (4.7 +/- 2.0 vs. 2.9 +/- 0.9 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with dantrolene sodium at the dose used, did not prove beneficial to patients with heatstroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouchama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cafege
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Devol
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Labdi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: el-Assil
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seraj
mesh_terms: D003620:Dantrolene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006359:Heat Exhaustion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003620:Dantrolene