Development of a longitudinal study of complications and functional outcomes after traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To create a longitudinal database of patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury.


METHODS
A prospective study design was used to collect data pertaining to demographics, acute and post-acute management, complications, resource utilization and functional outcomes.


METHODS
Data were collected on 233 patients with a Glasgow Coma Score of 12 or less, admitted to a Level 1 Trauma Centre within 24 hours of injury and continued through post-hospitalization follow-up.


RESULTS
The mean age was 37.7 years, 70% were males, 54% were motor vehicle related accidents, and 21% died. Of the 185 survivors, 23% were discharged directly home from acute hospital care and 74% required inpatient rehabilitation. At hospital discharge, 76% had Rancho Los Amigos Scores of VII or higher; 81% had no or only mild verbal communication deficits and 79% were able to ambulate.


CONCLUSIONS
The study indicates that while it is difficult to predict functional outcomes for individual survivors of TBI in the early stages of acute care, they are often better than suspected at the time of injury.
Labi
Maria L C
ML
State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA. labi@acsu.buffalo.edu
Brentjens
Mathijs
M
Coad
Mary Lou
ML
Flynn
William J
WJ
Zielezny
Maria
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis