• A K Wagner, F M Hammond, H C Sasser, D Wiercisiewski, and H J Norton.
• Charlotte Institute of Rehabilitation, North Carolina, USA.
• J Trauma. 2000 Sep 1; 49 (3): 411419411-9.

BackgroundLong-term outcome is important in managing traumatic brain injury (TBI), an epidemic in the United States. Many injury severity variables have been shown to predict major morbidity and mortality. Less is known about their relationship with specific long-term outcomes.MethodsGlasgow Coma Scale, Revised Trauma Score, Injury Severity Score, and Trauma and Injury Severity Score, along with other demographic and premorbid values, were obtained for 378 consecutive patients hospitalized after TBI at a Level I trauma center between September 1997 and May 1998. Of this cohort, 120 patients were contacted for 1-year follow-up assessment with the Disability Rating Scale, Community Integration Questionnaire, and employment data.ResultsUnivariate analyses showed these to be significant single predictors of 1-year outcome. Multivariate analyses revealed that the Revised Trauma Score and Glasgow Coma Scale had significant additive value in predicting injury variables Disability Rating Scale scores when combined with other demographic and premorbid variables studied. Predictive models of 1-year outcome were developed.ConclusionInjury severity variables are significant single outcome predictors and, in combination with premorbid and demographic variables, help predict long-term disability and community integration for individuals hospitalized with TBI.

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