Application of ulinastatin in severe craniocerebral injuries.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the therapeutic effect of ulinastatin on severe craniocerebral injuries and to explore its mechanism.


METHODS
There were 87 cases of severe brain injury in this series and they were either treated by ulinastatin (treatment group, 41 cases) or not (control group, 46 cases) besides routine managements. We estimated C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, superoxide dismutase, and endothelin from plasmas of all the cases on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day after injury.


RESULTS
C-reactive protein level rose on the 1st and 3rd day after injury in the two groups, but descended in treatment group on the 5th and 7th day and was significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found for interleukin-6 in two groups during 1-5 days after injury, but on the 7th day, it decreased significantly in treatment group than control one (P < 0.01). Superoxide dismutase was higher in treatment group than control one in 5-7 days after injury (P < 0.01). Endothelin elevated on the 1st day after injury but dropped afterwards in the two groups, in which the level in treatment group was lower than that in control one. The incidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage was lower in treatment group than control one (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Ulinastatin has the function of protecting cerebral tissue, reducing the incidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, improving hepatic and renal function and prognosis.
DU
Hang-gen
HG
Department of Neurosurgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical College, Hangzhou. dhgen@HZCNC.com
Yin
Li-chun
LC
He
Min
M
Zhang
Guo-jun
GJ
Tian
Yong
Y
Wang
Cheng
C
DU
Gen-an
GA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016232:Endothelins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C028665:urinastatin