Time to follow commands remains the most useful injury severity variable for predicting WeeFIM® scores 1 year after paediatric TBI. (August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Austin, Cynthia A.; Slomine, Beth S.; DeMatt, Ellen J.; Salorio, Cynthia F.; Suskauer, Stacy J.
• Is Part Of: Brain injury. Volume 27:Number 9(2013)
• Page Start: 1056
• Page End: 1062
• Publication Date: 2013-08
• Subjects: Brain damage -- Periodicals; Brain -- Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Brain Injuries -- Periodicals; 617.481
• DOI: 10.3109/02699052.2013.794964
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-9052

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: To investigate the relationship between injury severity variables, particularly time to follow commands (TFC) and long-term functional outcomes in paediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI).</p> <p> <italic>Methods and procedure</italic>: Participants included 40 children with moderate-to-severe TBI discharged from inpatient rehabilitation. Measures of severity were initial Glasgow Coma Scale score, TFC, duration of Post Traumatic Amnesia (PTA) and total duration of impaired consciousness (TFC + PTA). Functional outcome was measured by age-corrected Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM®) scores at 1-year after discharge.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: Correlations indicated that injury severity variables (TFC, PTA and TFC + PTA) were all associated with functional outcome. Regression analyses revealed that TFC and TFC + PTA similarly accounted for 49% or 47% of the variance, respectively, in total WeeFIM® score. Thirty-seven of 40 children had good outcome; of the three children with TFC &gt;26 days, two had poor outcome.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusion</italic>: PTA and TFC + PTA do not provide a benefit over TFC alone for prediction of long-term outcome and TFC is identified earlier in the recovery course. TFC remains an important predictor of functional outcome 1-year after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation after paediatric TBI.</p> </abstract>