Functional outcome 10 years after traumatic brain injury: Its relationship with demographic, injury severity, and cognitive and emotional status

TLDR

Previous studies of long‑term outcomes after traumatic brain injury have shown inconsistent predictive value of injury severity and demographic factors, and few have examined links to current cognitive and psychiatric status. This study aimed to assess how injury severity, demographics, and concurrent cognitive and psychiatric functioning predict functional outcome ten years after mild to severe TBI. Sixty participants were evaluated with the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale and neuropsychological tests of attention, processing speed, memory, executive function, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Functional outcomes ranged from upper good recovery (32%) to lower severe disability (2%), and poorer outcomes were associated with longer posttraumatic amnesia, lower education, worse performance on cognitive measures, and higher anxiety levels. JINS 2008, 14:233–242.

Abstract

Previous investigations of long-term outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI) have yielded mixed results regarding the predictive power of injury severity and demographic factors. Furthermore, there has been limited investigation of the association between long-term outcome and current cognitive functioning and psychiatric state. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of injury severity, demographic factors, and concurrent cognitive and psychiatric functioning with functional outcome 10 years following mild to severe TBI. Outcome was rated using the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) for 60 participants, who also completed neuropsychological measures of attention, speed of processing, memory and executive function and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Outcome on the GOSE ranged from upper good recovery (32%) to lower severe disability (2%). Participants showing poorer outcome on the GOSE had significantly longer posttraumatic amnesia duration; less education; performed more poorly on cognitive measures of information processing speed, attention, memory, and executive function; and showed higher levels of anxiety on the HADS. (JINS, 2008, 14, 233–242.)