Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic effect and side effect of methylprednisolone on brain tumor edema.
Methods: Fifty-eight patients with brain tumor edema revealed by CT/MRI were randomly divided into two groups. 30 patients of trial group were treated with methylprednisolone, and 28 patients of the control group received dexamethasone for 3-5 days before and after operation. The patients' clinical neurological symptoms and signs were observed at the beginning and end of treatment before operation, and Karnofsky Performance Scores, were given to the case. Furthermore, the patients' cell immunity, electrolytes, blood sugar that might be affected, by methylprednisolone and dexamethasone were investigated concerned.
Results: Nineteen of 30 patients taking methylprednisolone and seventeen of 28 patients taking dexamethasone showed improvement in their clinical neurological symptoms, total effective rates for methylprednisolone and dexamethasone groups were 63.0% and 60.7% respectively, there was no obvious difference between the two groups in this regard rate (P > 0.05). Furthermore nine patients (30.0%) in trial group show significant improvement, whereas only four patients (14.3%) in the control group show significant improvement, the difference here was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no obvious side effect in both groups during treatment.
Conclusion: Vasogenic edema associated with brain tumor and its induced symptoms was effectively treated by methylprednisolone without adverse effects, Current findings suggest that further study of methylprednisolone in the management of control nervous system tumors is warranted.