Development of a longitudinal study of complications and functional outcomes after traumatic brain injury

Primary objective: To create a longitudinal database of patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury. Research design: A prospective study design was used to collect data pertaining to demographics, acute and post-acute management, complications, resource utilization and functional outcomes. Methods and procedures: Data were collected on 233 patients with a Glasgow Coma Score of 12 or less, admitted to a Level 1 Trauma Centre within 24 hours of injury and continued through post-hospitalization follow-up. Main outcomes and results: The mean age was 37.7 years, 70% were males, 54% were motor vehicle related accidents, and 21% died. Of the 185 survivors, 23% were discharged directly home from acute hospital care and 74% required inpatient rehabilitation. At hospital discharge, 76% had Rancho Los Amigos Scores of VII or higher; 81% had no or only mild verbal communication deficits and 79% were able to ambulate. Conclusions: The study indicates that while it is difficult to predict functional outcomes for individual survivors of TBI in the early stages of acute care, they are often better than suspected at the time of injury.