Butyphthalide in the treatment of massive Cerebral Infarction: Butyphthalide in the treatment of massive Cerebral Infarction

Objective: To evaluate the effect of butyphthalide in the treatment of massive cerebral infarction.

Methods: One hundred and twenty patients with massive cerebral infarction who were admitted to the hospital between January 2017 and December 2017 were selected and divided into a treatment group (n = 60) and a control group (n = 60) using random number table, 80 each group. Patients in the control group were given conventional cerebral infarction therapy, while patients in the treatment group were given butyphthalide injection besides the conventional treatment. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, score of activity of daily living (ADL), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LP-PLA2) and prognosis were recorded and compared between the two groups. The response rates of the two groups were recorded.

Results: The total response rates of the control group and treatment group were 73.85% and 93.85% respectively at the postoperative 21st day, and the difference had statistical significance (P<0.05). The NIHSS score of the two groups obviously decreased, and the ADL score significantly increased after treatment; the differences of NIHSS score and ADL score before and after treatment in the same group had statistical significance (P<0.05). The improvement of the indexes of the treatment group was obviously superior to that of the control group, and the differences between the two groups had statistical significance (P<0.05). The level of LP-PLA2 of both groups significantly decreased at the postoperative 21st day, and the difference before and after treatment in the same group was statistically significant (P<0.05); the treatment group had a significantly lower level of LP-PLA2 than the control group, and the difference had statistical significance (P<0.05). The treatment group had significantly higher positive outcome rate and lower mortality rate than the control group at the postoperative 90th day, and the differences had statistical significance (P<0.05). The incidence of adverse events of the treatment group and control group was 8.3% (5/60) and 5.0% (3/60) respectively, suggesting no significant difference (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Butyphthalide has a favourable effect in treating massive cerebral infarction. It can repair neurologic impairment, improve activity of daily living, and adjust the level of LP-PLA2, suggesting favourable application values.