title: Physical and psychological long-term outcome after traumatic brain injury in children and adult patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have indicated that younger age is associated with worse recovery after pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared to elder children. In order to verify this association between long-term outcome after moderate to severe TBI and patient's age, direct comparison between different pediatric age groups as well as an adult population was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  This investigation represents a retrospective cohort study at a level I trauma center including patients with moderate to severe, isolated TBI with a minimum follow-up of 10 years. According to their age at time of injury, patients were divided in pre-school (0-7 years), school (8-17 years) and adult (18-65 years) patients. Physical examination and standardized questionnaire on physical and psychological aspects (Glasgow Outcome Scale, Barthel Index, Impact of Event Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, short form 12) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  135 traumatized patients were included. Physical and psychological long-term outcome was associated with injury severity but not with patients' age at time of injury. Outcome recovery measured by Glasgow Outcome Scale was demonstrated with best results for pre-school aged children (p = 0.009). According to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale an increased incidence of anxiety (p = 0.010) and depression (p = 0.026) was evaluated in older patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term outcome perceptions after moderate to severe TBI presented in this study question current views of deteriorated recovery for the immature brain. The sustained TBI impact seemed not to reduce the child's ability to overcome the suffered impairment measured by questionnaire based psychological, physical and health related outcome scores. These results distinguish the relevance of rehabilitation and family support in the long term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. handruszkow@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Hagen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andruszkow
authors.forename: Ezin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Deniz
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Urner
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: Orna
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grün
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lohse
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frink
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krettek
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeckey
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010808:Physical Examination; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult