title: [Effectiveness of methylprednisolone in the acute phase of spinal cord injuries--a systematic review of randomized controlled trials].
abstract: Steroid therapy has been tested as a protector in spinal cord injury. Multicenter studies evaluating the methylprednisolone (MP) in post traumatic neurological recovery have shown promising results according to NASCIS. A large number of critical studies related to the NASCIS results have been published.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review literature related to use of methylprednisolone compared with placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  This analysis added the average improvement achieved in groups of patients who used MP and placebo (PL) to the average scores of groups at baseline, before treatment, resulting in the final neurological outcome for both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The motor score of the MP group was only 2.5 points higher than the PL in a one year follow-up. In neurologically intact patients, the total score is 70 points. Improvement in sensitive scores was also discrete (1.1 and 1.7 points for the pinprick and light touch respectively). A high rate of complications was observed in a group of patients about 60 years old who used MP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in the clinical magnitude of benefit obtained (not confirmed by other studies) with the use of MP or PL are not significant, in comparison with the potential for complications when using methylprednisolone.
authors.affiliation: Programa de pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, IAMSPE.
authors.forename: Ricardo Vieira
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Botelho
authors.forename: Jefferson Walter
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: José Luis Romeo
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Boulosa
authors.forename: Benedicto Oscar
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Colli
authors.forename: Ronald de Lucena
authors.initials: Rde L
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.forename: Osmar José Santos
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Wilson Eloy
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Pimenta
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Francisco Ricardo Borges
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Mario Augusto
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Taricco
authors.forename: Marcio Vinhal de
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Wanderley Marques
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Bernardo
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010919:Placebos; D008775:Methylprednisolone