The Effect of Corticotrophin and Prednisolone on Infantile Spasms with Mental Retardation.

The immediate effects of the use of corticotrophin or cortisone in patients with infantile spasms may be dramatic (Sorel and Dusaucy-Bauloye, 1958; Low, 1958; Sorel, 1959), but the more permanent results are less easily assessed. There is still no confirmation of Sorel's claims that corticotrophin can produce prolonged benefit, in particular mental improvement, for long-term improvement can occur without such treatment. This paper reports an attempt to assess the immediate and later results of treatment with corticotrophin and prednisolone by comparison with the findings in patients not treated with hormones (Jeavons and Bower, 1961).