Sex differences in injury severity and outcome measures after traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of a patient's sex on various measures of injury severity and outcome after rehabilitation in a matched sample of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).


METHODS
Retrospective data were retrieved from a database that contains information routinely collected on all patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation.


METHODS
Inpatient rehabilitation unit of major teaching hospital in Australia.


METHODS
Fifty-four women with TBI after a motor vehicle crash (MVC) were identified from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Database. An equal number of men were then matched for age and years of education. All subjects met the study admission criteria of having being involved in a high-speed MVC. Exclusion criteria included history of a previous head injury, chronic amnesia, psychiatric disturbance, and significant alcohol and/or substance abuse.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Differences, by sex, in patient scores on measures of injury severity and outcome after TBI.


RESULTS
Men had significantly greater levels of injury severity as indicated by the Glasgow Coma Scale scores (U=994.0, P=.002) and length of posttraumatic amnesia (U=880.0, P=.016) when compared with women. No significant sex differences existed in the outcome measures or in injuries not associated with the central nervous system.


CONCLUSIONS
Few investigations exist on the effect of patient sex on measures of injury severity and outcome after a TBI. In the present study, men's levels of injury severity were greater than women's despite the same admission criteria (high-speed MVC) being applied to both sexes.
Slewa-Younan
Shameran
S
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service, Westmead Hospital, Wentworthville, NSW, Australia. shameran@biru.wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Green
Alisa M
AM
Baguley
Ian J
IJ
Gurka
Joe A
JA
Marosszeky
Jeno E
JE
D000328:Adult; D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome