The effect of dexamethasone and high protein diet on protein metabolism in patients with head trauma

Abstract Background: Injuries and head trauma are considered to produce stress in patients which is accompanied with increased body catabolism reflected as higher secretion of urinary urea nitrogen. Objective: To determine the effect of dexamethasone and high protein diet on protein metabolism in head trauma patients. Methods: Through a clinical trial, 24 head trauma patients were randomly divided into two groups in which one group received dexamethasone three times a day plus high protein diet (study group), and the second group was given only high protein diet (control group) for 14 days. Determination of urea nitrogen content was carried out on 24-hour urine specimens collected before and after 14 days following the administration of high protein diet. Findings: The excretion of urinary urea nitrogen was increased in case group whereas it was decreased (p<0.05) in control group. Howevevr, following the administration of high protein diet, the urea nitrogen content was reduced in both case and control groups and the reduction of this substance in control group was staticallysi gnificant. Conclusion: Dexamethasone had no effect on improving the head trauma patients' conditions. Protein-rich diet caused a decrease in excretion of urinary urea nitrogen.