• Jennie Ponsford, Shannon Janzen, Amanda McIntyre, Mark Bayley, Diana Velikonja, Robyn Tate, and INCOG Expert Panel.
• NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Traumatic Brain Injury Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Australia (Drs Ponsford and Tate); School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University and Epworth Hospital, Melbourne, Australia (Dr Ponsford); National Trauma Research Institute, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital (Dr Ponsford); Lawson Health Research Institute, St Joseph's Parkwood Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada (Mss Janzen and McIntyre); Neuro Rehabilitation Program, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (Dr Bayley); Neuropsychology, Acquired Brain Injury Program, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Dr Velikonja); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Dr Velikonja); Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School - Northern, University of Sydney, Australia (Dr Tate); and Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney, Australia (Dr Velikonja).
• J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2014 Jul 1; 29 (4): 307-20.

IntroductionAfter traumatic brain injury (TBI) and emergence from coma, the majority of people experience posttraumatic amnesia (PTA), characterized by confusion, disorientation, retrograde and anterograde amnesia, poor attention, and sometimes agitation and delusions. An international team of researchers and clinicians developed recommendations for assessment and management of PTA.MethodsThe experts met to select recommendations, then reviewed literature to ensure they were current. The team then prioritized recommendations for implementation and developed audit criteria to evaluate the adherence to the best practice recommendations.ResultsEvidence in support of assessment and management strategies during PTA is weak. It is recommended that duration of PTA be assessed prospectively using a validated tool. Consideration should also be given to use of a delirium assessment tool. No cognitive or pharmacological treatments are known to reduce PTA duration. Recommendations for environmental manipulations to reduce agitation during PTA are made. Minimizing use of neuroleptic medication is supported by animal research and 1 retrospective study.ConclusionsThe duration of PTA is an important predictor of late outcome after TBI and should be monitored prospectively with a standardized tool. Neuroleptic medication should be avoided. There is a significant need for controlled studies evaluating the impact of therapy during PTA.

12 keywords...

hide…