Progesterone Bites the Dust in Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

A diagnosis of severe traumatic brain injury following an accident such as a car crash can have drastic consequences, including death and long-term disability. Unfortunately, there is still much that is unknown about the treatment of severe traumatic brain injuries. Here at Greening Law we have helped many clients with brain injuries that they received due to a car or truck accident. Therefore, we try to keep up with the latest medical research in the area.

The use of progesterone in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries was, until recently, thought to hold promise. Researchers had observed that women had a tendency to respond better and show better recovery after a traumatic brain injury than men did, and this observation pointed to the potential value of progesterone, a natural hormone that plays an important role not only in reproductive functions but also in brain development.

As well, animal research had shown that progesterone helped to protect brain cells following traumatic brain injury. With these observations and results in mind, the team of researchers, including researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School, embarked on a clinical trial using progesterone to treat patients with traumatic brain injuries, as compared to a placebo.

While the trial was originally intended to involve 1,140 patients, it was stopped after 882 participants were enrolled, after results showed no significant difference in the outcomes of patients given progesterone compared to those given a placebo. These disappointing results were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

After a car or truck accident, an experienced attorney is one of the few people who will advocate for your best interests. Robert Greening is the principal attorney at Greening Law, P.C. He has dedicated his 24 years of practice to the litigation of wrongful death and serious injury cases. If you have any questions, contact Greening Law, P.C. at 972-934-8900.