title: A prospective outcome study observing patients with severe traumatic brain injury over 10-15 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) can be divided into primary and secondary injuries. Intensive care protocols focus on preventing secondary injuries. This prospective cohort study was initiated to investigate outcome, including mortality, in patients treated according to the Lund Concept after a sTBI covering 10-15 years post-trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were included during 2000-2004 when admitted to the neurointensive care unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Inclusion criteria were: Glasgow coma scale score of ≤8, need for artificial ventilation and intracranial monitoring. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to evaluate outcome both at 1-year and 10-15 years post-trauma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-five patients, (27 female and 68 male), were initially included. Both improvement and deterioration were noted between 1- and 10-15 years post-injury. Mortality rate (34/95) was higher in the studied population vs. a matched Swedish population, (Standard mortality rate (SMR) 9.5; P < 0.0001). When dividing the cohort into Good (GOS 4-5) and Poor (GOS 2-3) outcome at 1-year, only patients with Poor outcome had a higher mortality rate than the matched population (SMR 7.3; P < 0.0001). Further, good outcome (high GOS) at 1-year was associated with high GOS 10-15 years post-trauma (P < 0.0001). Finally, a majority of patients demonstrated symptoms of mental fatigue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This indicates that patients with severe traumatic brain injury with Good outcome at 1-year have similar survival probability as a matched Swedish population and that high Glasgow outcome scale at 1-year is related to good long-term outcome. Our results further emphasise the advantage of the Lund concept.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8163-0458
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rackauskaite
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Svanborg
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Csajbók
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Öst
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nellgård
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome