Analysis of the Symptoms and Functional Outcome of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

The consequences of TBI are most often grouped into the so-called Post-concussion Syndrome (PCS). At present, there is no clear understanding of the evolution, duration, or resolution of the symptoms of PCS after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Aim of the study. A prospective characterization of the frequency and evolution of PCS symptoms and outcomes of patients after mTBI for 3, 6, and 12 months in a large prospective cohort of patients in the emergency department. Material and methods. A total of 375 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients were evaluated using the PCS checklist, as well as the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (EGOS), the Short List of Symptoms-18 (SLS-18), the Rivermead Post-Concussion Questionnaire (RPCQ), and the Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). Results. The population was 70.1% male, with a median age of 44 years. Approximately 44% of the population were considered to have complicated mTBI, having positive results of computed tomography (CT). The average injury severity score (ISS), calculated only for patients admitted to the hospital, was 9.37±9.72 (279 in total). ISS was significantly higher in patients with positive CT (16.5±8.39) compared to patients with negative CT (3.8±6.6). Conclusion. Patients with negative CT scans had significantly increased rates of neurological problems, prior TBI, and alcohol use, which may contribute to increased symptoms and a deterioration in BSI-18 scores. After examining only those patients with a negative history of the disease, there was no significant difference between the groups with positive and negative results for any indicator of outcome.