title: Health-related quality of life in patients with multiple injuries and traumatic brain injury 10+ years postinjury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine the long-term physical and psychological consequences of multiple blunt forced trauma at ≥ 10-year follow-up for patients with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 620 patients with multiple injuries were assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form-12 and a physical reexamination at ≥ 10-year follow-up. Injury-related characteristics were collected from patients' medical record. Chi-square analysis, Analysis of Variance, and linear and logistic regression were performed to test differences between groups and examine predictors of physical and psychological functioning at ≥ 10-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with multiple injuries who sustained a TBI (n = 398) were more likely to be female (p = 0.001), younger in age at the time of injury (p = 0.02), have higher Injury Severity Scores (p = 0.001), shorter ward stays (p = 0.001), and a greater number of upper extremity injuries (p = 0.02) when compared with those without TBI (n = 222). Patients with TBI reported poorer psychological functioning (p = 0.02) and more frequently reported chronic pain (p = 0.01). Patients with TBI used medical aids (p = 0.002) less frequently at follow-up when compared with patients without TBI. Significant predictors of health-related quality of life at ≥ 10-year follow-up included age at the time of injury (physical; p = 0.001), gender (p = 0.05), number of ventilation days (p = 0.02), satisfaction with rehabilitation (p = 0.001), disability caused by the injury (p = 0.001), and use of medical aids (physical p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prospective studies are needed with a broader range of measures that may be sensitive to the consequences of TBI. Evidence-based interventions to facilitate physical and psychological rehabilitation, designed to target at risk patients, are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
authors.forename: Juliana M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sellei
authors.forename: Boris A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Zelle
authors.forename: Nicola-Alexander
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sittaro
authors.forename: Farah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khalifa
authors.forename: Hans Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pape
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007902:Length of Stay; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult