Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the occurrence of behavioural problems in patients with
severe traumatic brain injury during the first year after injury and potential
associations with outcome.
An additional post hoc objective was to analyse the
frequency of behaviours with need for intervention from staff. DESIGN AND SETTING: In a prospective population based cohort study 114 patients with severe
traumatic brain injury were assessed at three weeks, three months and one year
after injury. MAIN MEASURES: Assessments included clinical examination and
standardised instruments. Agitation was assessed with the Agitated Behaviour
Scale, the course of recovery by the Rancho Los Amigo Scale and outcome by
Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended. RESULTS: Agitation were most common at 3 weeks
post injury and 28% ( n=68) of the patients showed at least one agitated
behaviour requiring intervention from staff. Presence of significant agitation at
3 weeks after injury was not associated with poor outcome. At 3 months agitation
was present in 11% ( n=90) and apathy in 26 out of 81 assessed patients. At 3
months agitation and apathy were associated with poor outcome at one year.
CONCLUSIONS: Most agitated behaviours in the early phase are transient and are
not associated with poor outcome. Agitation and apathy are uncommon at three
months but when present are associated with poor outcome at one year after
injury. In the early phase after a severe traumatic brain injury agitated
behaviour in need of interventions from staff occur in a substantial proportion of patients.

Langue : ANGLAIS