title: Measuring scales used for assessment of patients with traumatic brain injury: multicenter studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Application of adequate numeric scales is essential for assessment of a patient's condition. The scales most commonly used by the therapeutic team for assessment of a patient with traumatic brain injury (TBI) include deficit scales, functional scales, and scales assessing quality of life. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationships between the particular scales used for assessment of patients with TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicenter study included 159 patients with TBI. The direct observation technique was used. Two measurements were made (at hospital admission and discharge) using standardized assessment scales, ie, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), the Functional Capacity Scale (FCS), the Functional Index "Repty" (FIR), and the Glasgow Outcome Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with mild impairment of consciousness were most numerous in the examined group at both admission and discharge, ie, 118 (78.8%) and 134 patients (89.3%), respectively. The mean score for functional capacity measured with the FCS was 34.41 points (71.7%) on the day of admission and 41.87 points (87.2%) on the day of discharge from hospital. A significant correlation was found between results obtained using the GCS and results on the FIR, on both the day of admission [R t(n-2) =7.612=0.530; P=0.00] and the day of discharge [R t(n-2) =8.998=0.595; P=0.00]. Further, a high correlation was found between the FCS and the FIR (r s= -0.854 on day of admission and r s= -0.840 on day of discharge).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of examined patients had mild impairment of consciousness. A moderate correlation was found between the GCS and the scales assessing activities of daily living. A high correlation was found between FCS and FIR, which may result from the similarities between the analyzed tools in the scope of their construction and application.
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ślusarz
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jabłońska
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Królikowska
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haor
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barczykowska
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Geriatrics, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biercewicz
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Głowacka
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szrajda
keywords: assessment tools; head trauma; numeric scales