title: Magnesium sulfate treatment improves outcome in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: a meta-analysis study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the role of magnesium sulfate in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhagic (SAH) brain injury
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies for the meta-analysis were identified from PubMed (1966 to 2009), Embase (1980 to 2009), and two Chinese journals (1989 to 2009). Paper selection was based on randomized controlled trials comparing magnesium sulfate to placebo treatment in patients with SAH. Two independent review authors extracted the data and assessed trial quality. Meta-analysis was performed using the Cochrane Review Manger software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five trials involving 482 patients were included in the review. Magnesium sulfate reduced the risk of poor outcome and reduced the occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia. In the treatment groups, relative risk for poor outcome was 0.73 (CI 0.57-0.93) and 0.66 (CI 0.47-0.92) for delayed cerebral ischemia. Case fatality assessment at three to six months did not show statistically significant data (RR 0.88; CI 0.61-1.29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnesium sulfate appears to be an effective treatment option in the management of SAH. Further clinical trials are needed before magnesium sulfate can become a routine treatment for SAH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Nikan H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Khatibi
authors.forename: Linyan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Pengcheng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang