Effects of TRH and high-dose corticosteroid therapy on evoked potentials, and tissue Na+,K+ and water content in experimental spinal injury.
The therapeutic effects of continuous infusion of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and methylprednisolone (MP) in experimental spinal cord injury were studied in Swiss albino rats. Thirty rats received a 53-g clip-compression injury on the cord at T1, then were allocated randomly and blindly to one of three treatment groups (ten animals in each): (1) control; received equal volumes of saline solution; (2) MP; received 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone i.v. 1h after trauma, followed by infusion of 5.4 mg/kg/per hour i.v. for 3h; (3) TRH; received 2 mg/kg TRH i.v. 1h after trauma, followed by infusion of 1 mg/kg/per hour i.v. for 3h. MP and TRH treatments significantly improved somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs; P < 0.001). Both treatments significantly reduced water content, decreased Na+ content and increased the K+ content of the cord segment that included the centre of the impact (P < 0.01). Our data provide evidence for the beneficial effects of high-dose corticosteroid and TRH in promoting electrophysiological recovery and preserving spinal cord tissue following experimental injury.
Akdemir
H
H
Department of Neurosurgery, Erciyes University, School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey.
Paşaoğlu
H
H
Arman
F
F
Coksevim
B
B
Paşaoğlu
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D008775:Methylprednisolone