Citation

Koh JSK, Ng ZM, Feng JXY, Badron J, Chiang LW, Ang ASY, Chong SL. Ann. Acad. Med. Singapore 2024; 53(1): 15-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Academy of Medicine, Singapore)

DOI

10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.202387

PMID

38920211

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: We aim to investigate the functional outcomes and long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with major trauma associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHOD: We performed a retrospective review of records among patients >2 and ≤16 years old in a tertiary paediatric hospital between January 2014 and October 2019 with major trauma (Injury Severity Score of ≥16) and TBI of all severities. We recorded each child's Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended Pediatric Version (GOS-E Peds) at 12 months post-injury and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) scores at 6 and 12 months post-injury based on the parent proxy-report scales.

RESULTS: We included 53 patients with a median age of 9.0 years old (interquartile range 2.3-15.5). Most injuries were due to falls (30, 56.6%) or road traffic collisions (15, 28.3%); 41 patients (77.3%) required intensive care while 30 patients (56.6%) underwent neurosurgical intervention. Most patients (43, 81.1%) had GOS-E Peds scores of ≤2 at 12 months post-injury. We reported a significant mean difference between the 6- and 12-month parent-reported scores for physical functioning (6.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3-12.8, P=0.041), psychosocial functioning (4.1, 95% CI 1.0-7.2, P=0.012) and overall scores (5.0, 95% CI 1.4-8.7, P=0.008). Compared with the validated PedsQL scores, our mean scores were higher across all domains at 12 months.

CONCLUSION: With current standard of care, parents of children with major trauma and TBI reported gains in quality of life, physical, psychosocial and overall function between 6 and 12 months post-injury.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Male; Adolescent; Retrospective Studies; Injury Severity Score; Singapore/epidemiology; *Brain Injuries, Traumatic/psychology; *Caregivers/psychology; *Glasgow Outcome Scale; *Quality of Life; Accidental Falls/statistics & numerical data; Accidents, Traffic/statistics & numerical data; GOS-E Peds; paediatrics; PedsQL; TBI