OBJECTIVE: To probe into the efficacy of Shenmai injection in the treatment of neurological deterioration in early stage of acute ischemic stroke and its effects on serum cytokines. METHODS: Totally 118 patients with neurological deterioration in early stage of acute ischemic stroke admitted into Tangshan Union Medical College Hospital from May 2017 to May 2019 were extracted to be divided into the control group and the observation group via the random number table

with 59 cases in each group. Both groups were given conventional western medicine treatment

on this basis

the observation group was treated with intravenous infusion of Shenmai injection. The course of treatment of both groups were 4 weeks. Clinical efficacy

incidence of adverse drug reactions of two groups were observed. National institutes of health stroke scale（ NIHSS）

activities of daily living（ ADL） and serum cytokines[tumor necrosis factor α（ TNF-α）

high-sensitivity C-reactive protein（ hs-CRP）

interleukin-6（ IL-6）

interleukin-18（ IL-18） and brain-derived neurotrophic factor（ BDNF） ] of two groups were compared before and after treatment.RESULTS: After treatment

NIHSS score in the observation group was significantly lower than that before treatment and the control group after treatment

and ADL score was significantly higher than that before treatment and the control group after treatment

with statistically significant differences（ P < 0. 05）. After treatment

the levels of TNF-α

hsCRP

IL-6 and IL-18 in the observation group were significantly lower than those before treatment and the control group after treatment

and the levels of BDNF were significantly higher than those before treatment and the control group after treatment

the differences were statistically significant（ P<0. 05）. The total effective rate of the observation group was 88. 14%（ 52/59）

significantly higher than that of the control group [77. 97%（ 46/59） ]

with statistically significant difference（ P < 0. 05）. During the treatment

the incidence of adverse drug reactions in the observation group and the control group were 15. 25%（ 9/59） and 27. 12%（ 16/59）

respectively

with no statistically significant difference（ P>0. 05）. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of Shenmai injection in the treatment of neurological deterioration in early stage of acute ischemic stroke is significant

which can can promote the recovery of neurological function

improve the serum cytokines and inhibit the inflammatory reactions.