title: Progesterone for Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of progesterone administrated in patients with acute traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Clinicaltrials.gov, ISRCTN registry and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing progesterone and placebo administrated in acute TBI patients. The primary outcome was mortality and the secondary outcomes were unfavorable outcomes and adverse events. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of progesterone administrated in patients with acute TBI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 6 studies met inclusion criteria, involving 2,476 patients. The risk of bias was considered to be low in 4 studies but high in the other 2 studies. The results of meta-analysis indicated progesterone did not reduce the mortality (RR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.57-1.20) or unfavorable outcomes (RR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.78-1.02) of acute TBI patients in comparison with placebo. Sensitivity analysis yielded consistent results. Progesterone was basically safe and well tolerated in TBI patients with the exception of increased risk of phlebitis or thrombophlebitis (RR = 3.03, 95% CI = 1.96-4.66).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite some modest bias, present evidence demonstrated that progesterone was well tolerated but did not reduce the mortality or unfavorable outcomes of adult patients with acute TBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yunhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: The Second Integrated Unit, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junpeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone