Rd. Zafonte et al., POSTTRAUMATIC AMNESIA - ITS RELATION TO FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 78(10), 1997, pp. 1103-1106
Objective: To investigate the relation between duration of posttraumat
ic amnesia (PTA) and functional outcome in a traumatically brain injur
ed population. Patients: Two hundred seventy-six patients with traumat
ic brain injury (TBI) who were admitted to a Level I university trauma
center and required inpatient rehabilitation. Measures: Duration of P
TA was assessed by serial administrations of the Galveston Orientation
Amnesia Test (GOAT). Functional Independence Measure (FIM) total scor
es, FIM cognitive and motor subscores, and Disability Rating Scale (DR
S) scores were obtained at admission and discharge from inpatient reha
bilitation. Results: Duration of PTA was a significant predictor of al
l admission and discharge DRS and FIM scores. Duration of PTA and age
at the time of injury, in combination, contributed significantly to th
e prediction of the DRS score and FIM total, cognitive, and motor scor
es at discharge. Conclusion: Duration of PTA appears to be a useful va
riable in predicting specific functional outcome in the TBI population
receiving inpatient rehabilitation services. The use of age as a fact
or in addition to duration of PTA enhances the prediction of functiona
l outcome. (C) 1997 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicin
e and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.