This is a double blinded, placebo-controlled trial to determine if IV dexamethasone more quickly than placebo assists resolution of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) encountered in eclamptic patients. All patients regardless of assignment to placebo or steroid will receive standard therapy to include magnesium sulfate, blood pressure medications and diuretics. We hypothesize that the addition of dexamethasone to standard therapy will accelerate CNS recovery more quickly than standard management without dexamethasone.
30 eclamptic patients who do not require steroids for fetal lung maturation purposes will be randomized to placebo or steroid. This includes patients with eclampsia encountered antepartum prior to 23 weeks gestation, postpartum eclampsia, undelivered patients encountered after 33 weeks gestation who would not be candidates for fetal lung maturation steroids, or patients not eligible for repeat steroid administration in the 23-34 week gestational window. Planned enrollment in this pilot study is up to 30 patients with at least 12 in each group.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
1
Intravenous Dexamethasone 12 mg, 2 doses, 12 hours apart
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Eclampsia and Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES): Arandomized Clinical Trial Evaluating Corticosteroid Efficacy to Augment Standard Therapy and Shorten Recovery
To learn if giving IV dexamethasone to eclamptic women with PRES will accelerate normalization of CNS function.
Time frame: 36 months
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