The files of 556 patients with a history of ischaemic stroke were reviewed. The disability and mortality rates were compared between 277 patients with a steroid treatment in the acute stage and 279 without. Comparison of the whole group showed that the steroid-treated patients had less improvement of their disability and a higher mortality rate than the non-steroid group. However, in the former more patients with a severe stroke were present. Statistical analysis of a subset of 208 patients with completed stroke in the middle cerebral artery territory showed no marked difference in the outcome and the adverse reactions between the steroid- and non-steroid-treated patients.