Glycerol for acute stroke

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Infarct-related oedema following ischaemic stroke is thought to be a major cause of early death. Intravenous glycerol may reduce the oedema, increase cerebral blood flow and improve cerebral metabolism. The objective of this review was to assess the effect of glycerol in acute ischaemic stroke. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group trials register, Medline and Embase. Randomised trials of intravenous glycerol compared with control in people with definite or presumed ischaemic stroke. Trials were included if treatment was initiated within the first four days of stroke onset. Two reviewers assessed trial quality and independently extracted the data. Eight trials involving 649 people were included. Based on 454 patients in six trials, glycerol was associated with a decrease in deaths within 14 days of stroke onset (odds ratio of 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.36 to 0.91). Based on 431 patients in five trials, there was a non-significant decrease in deaths within the first year of stroke onset (odds ratio of 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.54 to 1.23). The effect of treatment on functional outcome was not clear. Haemolysis appeared to be the only adverse effect. There is not enough evidence to evaluate glycerol treatment for people with acute ischaemic stroke.