Citation

Whyte J, Nakase-Richardson R, Hammond FM, McNamee S, Giacino JT, Kalmar K, Greenwald B, Yablon SA, Horn LJ. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2013; 94(10): 1855-1860.

Affiliation

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, PA. Electronic address: jwhyte@einstein.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apmr.2012.10.041

PMID

23732164

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the 5-year outcomes of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) not following commands when admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively-collected data from the NIDRR-funded Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (TBIMS). SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation hospitals participating in the TBIMS program. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred eight (108) patients with TBI not following commands at admission to acute inpatient rehabilitation were divided into 2 groups (early recovery: followed commands prior to discharge; n = 72; late recovery: did not follow commands prior to discharge; n = 36). INTERVENTIONS: N/A MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional Independence Measure items. RESULTS: For the early recovery group, depending on the FIM item, 8% - 21% of patients were functioning independently at discharge, increasing to 56% to 85% by 5-years post-injury. The proportion functioning independently increased from discharge to 1 year, 1 to 2 years and 2 - 5 years. In the late recovery group, depending on the FIM item, 19 - 36% of patients were functioning independently. The proportion of independent patients increased significantly from discharge to 1 year and from 1 to 2 years, but not from 2 to 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial proportions of patients admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation prior to following commands recover independent functioning over as long as 5 years, particularly if they begin to follow commands prior to hospital discharge.

Language: en