Moderate hypothermia therapy for patients with severe head injury.

Objective: To evaluate the effect and safety of early moderate hypothermia therapy (MHT) on patients with head injury by using parallel control test. Methods: Thirty patients with severe head injury within 6 hours after accidents were treated by MHT generally for 4 10 days. The other 30 patients with similar head injury treated routinely were enrolled for a parallel control test. The mortality, morbidity and changes of some neuro functional indexes as Glasgow Coma Scores, and Glasgow Outcome Scale, levels of endothelin and some other factors of neurobiochemistry in blood plasma were observed. Meanwhile, the dynamic monitoring by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was conducted in these patients. Results: The mortality in MHT group was significantly lower than that in control group. MHT not only reduced endothelin but also increased the brain biochemical factors, which were helpful to the protection of neurons in the early brain ischemia after head injury. Conclusions: Early MHT can help reduce mortality and morbidity in patients with acute head injury.