Monosialoganglioside therapy in stroke.

Taphoorn et al reply

“…(1) as regards mortality, the prognosis is better for patients on therapy with active drug: nine patients in placebo group and five patients in GMI group died in Hoffbrand's trial, while in our study three patients in placebo and no one in GM I group died (see patients and methods section of our paper); (2) in Hoffbrand's study, the mean increase in Barthel Index from the end of the first to the sixth month was 7-7 for the placebo group (from 72-3 to 80-0) and 18-0 for the GMI group (from 70-2 to 88 2): probably such a wide difference is not statistically significant because the study group is not sufficiently large and homogeneous.…”

The Role of Gangliosides in the Repair of the Damaged Nervous System

“…Two trials in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke have demonstrated beneficial effects of GM 1 at a dose of 40 mg/day im for a period of 6 weeks, starting as late as 10-15 days after the onset of the stroke. There were statistically significant differences in neurological scores when the ganglioside group was compared with placebo-treated controls (60,61).…”

GM1 ganglioside treatment of central nervous system injury: Clinical evidence for improved recovery

“…The pharmacological profile of GM, offers a unique new therapeutic opportunity in CNS injury and stroke. Some controlled clinical trials of limited scope have indicated the beneficial effects of the GM, in acute cerebrovascular disease (ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes) [Bassi et al, 1984[Bassi et al, , 1985Battistin et al, 19851. In these trials the therapeutic effects of GM, were observed after administration of the drug for 6 weeks, starting from 10 to 15 days after the stroke. The clinical effects, as measured by the neurological scores in the treated patients, showed significant improvement when compared with placebo-treated patients.…”