An Emory Medical School doctor working with victims of traumatic brain injury at Grady Hospital in Atlanta has published a study suggesting that the female hormone progesterone can be a safe, effective treatment for brain injury. 

Animal studies have indicated that giving progesterone soon after injury reduces brain swelling, prevents nerve death and improves functional outcomes. Lead researcher Dr. David W. Wright and colleagues note that progesterone’s advantages over other potential treatments include its ability to quickly enter the brain, history of safe use, ease of administration, and low cost.

Wright, from Emory University in Atlanta, and colleagues included in their study 100 adults with brain injury who reached the emergency department within 11 hours of injury. Patients were randomly assigned to receive an intravenous dose of progesterone or inactive "placebo".

The death rate in the 30 days after injury was 13 percent in the progesterone group compared with 30 percent in the comparison group. This suggests that progesterone cut the risk of death by 57 percent.

Wright’s team was able to contact 92 percent of patients who survived 30 days. There was evidence that progesterone improved the recovery of patients with moderate brain injury. Patients with severe injury seemed to glean no benefit from the hormone.

Dr. Wright says his results are preliminary and broader studies are needed.

The Shigley Law Firm  represents plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases statewide in Georgia, and in other states subject to the multijurisdictional practice and pro hac vice rules in each state. Ken Shigley was designated as a "SuperLawyer" in Atlanta Magazine and one of the "Legal Elite" in Georgia Trend Magazine. He is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Chair of the Southeastern Motor Carrier Liability Institute and former chair of the Georgia Insurance Law Institute. He particularly focuses on cases arising from truck wrecks and accidents (tractor trailers truck wrecks, semi truck wrecks,18 wheeler truck wrecks, big rig truck wrecks, log truck wrecks, dump truck wrecks.