COMPARISON OF EFFECTS OF BUTYLPHTHALIDE COMBINED WITH CITICOLINE AND VASCULAR REHABILITATION CAPSULES ON NEUROLOGICAL FACTORS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN INJURED ATHLETES

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of butylphthalide combined with either citicoline or vascular rehabilitation capsules on injured athletes suffering from vascular dementia (VD) following a cerebral infarction (CI). Methods: The study included ninety-eight injured athletes diagnosed with VD post-CI, treated at our hospital from April 2020 to June 2022. Fifty-two of these patients received a combination of butylphthalide and citicoline, forming group A, while the remaining forty-six were administered butylphthalide with vascular rehabilitation capsules, designated as group B. Key biomarkers including neuron-specific enolase (NSE), nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured through fasting venous blood tests conducted before and after the treatment. The efficacy of the treatments on cognitive and neurological functions was evaluated using the Hasegawa Dementia Scale (HDS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and the LOTCA with the Neurological Impairment Scale (NIS). Furthermore, any adverse reactions encountered during the treatment period were meticulously recorded for both groups. Results: Post-treatment, significant improvements were observed in the HDS, MoCA, and LOTCA scores across both groups, with group A demonstrating superior outcomes compared to group B (P<0.05). Similarly, a notable reduction in NIHSS scores was more evident in group A than in group B (P<0.05). The levels of NSE and MDA decreased, while NGF, BDNF, and SOD levels showed an increase in both groups, with group A experiencing more pronounced changes (P<0.05). The occurrence of adverse reactions between the two groups did not present a significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: The combination therapies of butylphthalide with citicoline and with vascular rehabilitation capsules both significantly contribute to alleviating symptoms of dementia, promoting neurological and cognitive rehabilitation, and reducing oxidative stress in injured athletes with VD following CI. However, the combination of butylphthalide with citicoline displayed a more comprehensive improvement in patient outcomes, suggesting a preferable option for clinical application in this specific patient demographic.