Fuctional and cognitive outcome following traumatic, cerebrovascular and anoxic brain damage: study in 390 patients witth severe acquired brain injury (ABI)

Introduction. Acquired brain injury (ABI) may lead to significant impairments of individual’s cognitive, physical and psycosocial functioning and it is considered a leading cause of lifelong disability1. Studies about functional and cognitive outcome in severe ABI patients often concern traumatic aetiology. Only few studies regard non-traumatic aetiology outcome and different aetiologic cathegories of this group are often not subdivided. The aim of the study was to compare functional and cognitive outcome of different aetiologic ABI groups and to identify clinical predictive variables of returning home. Materials and methods. 390 ABI patients consecutively admitted to Sacro Cuore, Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Verona (Italy) from 2004 to 2007 were enrolled. Patients presented different ABI aetiologies (234 traumatic, 123 cerebrovascular e 33 anoxic). Clinical and demographic data were retrospectively recorded: age, sex, aetiology, acute lenght of stay (ALOS) and rehabilitation length of stay (RLOS), discharge destination, GCS, Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), Disability Rating Scale (DRS), Levels of Cognitive Functioning (LCF) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Results. Traumatic patients presented a lower mean age, a greater male sex percentage, shorter ALOS and RLOS and a better functional and cognitive outcome than other aetiologic groups considered. The worst outcome corresponded to anoxic patients. Admission DRS score resulted the best clinical predictive variable of returning home in ABI patients. Conclusion. Traumatic patients presented a better functional and cognitive outcome than other aetiologic groups. Admission DRS score was resulted a good clinical predictior of returning home in ABI patients.