Cognitive achievement deficits after multiple trauma. Examinations of quality of life

The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the quality of life after multiple trauma for patients with and without post-traumatic cognitive ach ievement deficits. We examined 173 multiple trauma patients 2-6 years after their injury. The patients were asked to rate their quality of life accord ing to the established measure scales Nottingham Health Profile, Spitzer In dex, Everyday Life Questionnaire, to a visual analogue scale and to the new "revised Aachen Longterm Outcome Score" established in our hospital. To ev aluate the cognitive achievement of each patient the ,,Kognitive Minimal Sc reening" (KMS) was applied. Statistical calculations result cognitive achievement deficits as a highly significant predictor for quality of life after multiple trauma. In spite o f this, the craniocerebral trauma is no global predictor of posttraumatic q uality of life. These results show that the quality of life after multiple trauma is not only influenced by approved predictors such as injury severit y but also significantly by the presence of cognitive achievement deficits. The KMS seems to be an easy test to evaluate those cognitive deficits.