Stroke: corticosteroids had no clear effect on death.

Clinical bottom line (level 1a-)

  1. Patients with acute ischaemic stroke who were given corticosteroids had no clear difference in death, than those given a control.
Qizilbash et al: The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, Oxford: Update Software 1999; 2: -
Expires December 2002

The study

Systematic review of randomised trials of
  • Patients: presumed or definite acute ischaemic stroke
  • Intervention: oral, intravenous or intramuscular corticosteroids compared with control
  • Outcome: death


    • Articles found in ? language using Cochrane Stroke Group trials register, no date range given (search terms: not stated ) and contacted investigators in the field.

    Selection criteria: as above
    Appraisal criteria: detailed in text
    Articles excluded if: studies on intracerebral haemorrhage, no data on death, no control treatment and no information on randomisation.

    Seven trials including 453 patients were included.
    There was no evidence of heterogeneity.

    The evidence

    Outcome Time to outcome CER OR
    (95% CI)    		 NN?
    (% CI)
    death unknown /
    (%)    		 1.08
    (0.68 to 1.72)

    Citation

    1. Qizilbash N, Lewington SL, Lopez-Arrieta JM: Corticosteroids for acute iscahemic stroke (Cochrane Review). The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, Oxford: Update Software 1999; 2: -
    Contributor: Clare Wotton and Musab Hayatli, December 1999
    Reviewer:

    Clinical Question.
    Patient acute ischaemic stroke
    Intervention or Exposure corticosteroids
    Comparison control
    Outcome death