title: Early Predictors of Functional Outcome After Trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the availability of routinely collected trauma data, researchers who investigate rehabilitation outcomes, functional evaluation, and comparative effectiveness have not incorporated this potentially clinically meaningful information in their modeling as predictors or adjustors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to identify variables from the scene of a traumatic accident and from the emergency department that can be used in assessing functional outcomes of persons who survive trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level I academic trauma center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Persons who sustained and survived a spinal cord injury, a traumatic brain injury, or polytrauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trauma and rehabilitation registries were merged by matching the 2 data files for each patient by medical record number, and the files were verified by gender and date of birth. Analysis consisted of standard descriptive statistics (frequencies and averages). A 2-staged linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between the demographic, scene, and ED data elements and discharge functional outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Discharge Functional Independence Measure (FIM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older patients with government insurance had poorer discharge FIM scores compared with patients who had commercial insurance. The Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Glasgow Coma Scale score from the scene of the accident were significantly associated with the discharge FIM. Persons with a lower ISS had significantly higher discharge FIM scores than did persons with a higher ISS (P < .001). For every unit change in Glasgow Coma Scale score, FIM scores increased by 0.488 points (P = .030).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of routinely collected trauma data elements can be useful in assessing the continuum of patient care. Incorporating trauma data into research has the potential to improve our models of functional outcomes and provide meaningful risk adjustors when comparing and evaluating rehabilitation care systems and treatments.
authors: MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute of Ohio, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH(∗).
authors: Gregory
authors: G
authors: Nemunaitis
authors: MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute of Ohio, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Center for Health Research and Policy, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH; Department of PM&R, MetroHealth Medical Center, Rammelkamp R222A, 2500 MetroHealth Dr, Cleveland, OH 44109(†). Electronic address: mroach@metrohealth.org.
authors: Mary Joan
authors: MJ
authors: Roach
authors: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Trauma Division, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH(‡).
authors: Jeffrey
authors: J
authors: Claridge
authors: MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute of Ohio, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH(¶).
authors: Melvin
authors: M
authors: Mejia
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012042:Registries; D013997:Time Factors; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*