Clinicians Cautioned Against Withdrawing Care in TBI Too Soon

While altered consciousness is common in traumatic brain injury, most patients recover after inpatient rehabilitation.

Clinicians need reliable information on the natural history of recovery of consciousness and functional status after traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study included 17,470 survivors of moderate or severe TBI admitted to 23 inpatient rehabilitation centers over a 30-year period. Primary outcomes included the presence, at discharge from rehab, of a disorder of consciousness (DOC) as assessed by the motor component of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and functional status determined with use of the Functional Independence Measurement (FIM).

Patients had a median age of 39, and 74% were male. The cause of TBI was motor-vehicle collision or other high-velocity impact in 50% and fall or other low-velocity impact in 28%. GCS score at admission was a…

Reviewing Author

Craig Williamson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNational Football League

RoyaltiesUpToDate, Inc.

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsNeurocritical Care