Serial Mini-Mental Status Examination to Evaluate Cognitive Outcome in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury / 대한신경손상학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at finding out the changes in cognitive dysfunction in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and investigating the factors limiting their cognitive improvement. METHODS: Between January 2010 and March 2014, 33 patients with TBI participated in serial mini-mental status examination (MMSE). Their cognitive functions were statistically analyzed to clarify their relationship with different TBI status. Patients who developed hydrocephalus were separately analyzed in regards to their cognitive function depending on the placement of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). RESULTS: Bi-frontal lobe injury (beta=-10.441, p<0.001), contre-coup injury (beta=-6.592, p=0.007), severe parenchymal injury (beta=-7.210, p=0.012), temporal lobe injury (beta=-5.524, p=0.027), and dominant hemisphere injury (beta=-5.388, p=0.037) significantly lowered the final MMSE scores. The risk of down-grade in the prognosis was higher in severe parenchymal injury [odds ratio (OR)=13.41, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.31-136.78], temporal lobe injury (OR=12.3, 95% CI=2.07-73.08), dominant hemisphere injury (OR=8.19, 95% CI=1.43-46.78), and bi-frontal lobe injury (OR=7.52, 95% CI=1.31-43.11). In the 11 post-traumatic hydrocephalus patients who underwent VPS, the final MMSE scores (17.7+/-6.8) substantially increased from the initial MMSE scores (11.2+/-8.6). CONCLUSION: Presence of bi-frontal lobe injury, temporal lobe injury, dominant hemisphere injury, and contre-coup injury and severe parenchymal injury adversely influenced the final MMSE scores. They can be concluded to be poor prognostic factors in terms of cognitive function in TBI patients. Development of hydrocephalus aggravates cognitive impairment with unpredictable time of onset. Thus, close observation and routine image follow-up are mandatory for early detection and surgical intervention for hydrocephalus.

A Clinical Observation on Head Injuries in Infants and Children

A clinical analysis was carried out with 400 cases of head injuries under 15 years of age admitted at the Department of Neurosurgery, Inha University Hospital during 4 years from 1987 to 1990. The material was classified into three groups according to main lesions, i.e. 1) simple cerebral contusion without skull fractures, 2) various types of skull fractures, 3) intracranial hemorrhagic lesions, representing such lesions as follows;a) epidural hematoma, b) subdural hematoma, c) intracerebral hematoma, intraventricular and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The results were as follows; 1) The age incidence was greatest in 7 years of age, and 188 cases(47%) were included in the age group between seven and ten. The accident occurred mostly from March to May, especially in April. 2) The head injuries were caused by traffic accident(203 cases:51%), fall down(152 cases:38%), etc. In clinical pictures, neck sprain(52.8%), nausea and vomiting(47.5%), and early epilepsy)9%) were developed. 3) The linear skull fracture was higher than other type fractures(74.6%) and the locations of skull fractures were parietal, occipital, temporal and frontal bone in order of frequency. 4) Among the intracranial hemorrhagic lesions, EDH was most common lesion, 73 cases(79%) of the patients with intracranial hemorrhagic lesions were accompanied by skull fractures but of the patients with skull fracture, 51.4% were accompanied by hemorrhagic lesions. Lucid interval was observed in 15 of the cases with intracranial hemorrhagic lesions and contre-coup injury was developed in 19(12%). 5) In the GOS, the high scored cases on the GCS were better than the low scored cases. 4 cases of 23 people scored under 8 on the GCS died. 14 cases of them were included in the age between 6 and 10(61%). 6) Associated injuries were found in about 16% of the total patient, the most common injury was clavicle fracture and most frequent sequala was post traumatic syndrome. The late epilepsy was occurred in about 13% of the early epilepsy cases except the cases had pre-traumatic epilepsy history.

A Clinical Observation on Head Injuries in Infants and Children

A clinical analysis was carried out with 108 cases of head injuries under 15 years of age, admitted at the Department of Neurosurgery, In Ha University Hospital in 11/2 years between Jan., 1987 and June., 1988. The material was classified into three groups according to main lesions, i.e. 1) simple cerebral contusion without skull fractures. 2) various types of skull fractures. 3) intracranial hemorrhagic lesions, representing such lesions as follows:a) epidural hematoma b) subdural hematoma. c) intracerebral hematoma, intraventricular and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The results were as follows: 1) The age incidence was greatest in 7 years of age, and 51 cases(47.2% of total) were included in the age group between seven and ten. 2) The accident occurred mostly between March and May. 3) Males outnumbered females by almost 2:1. 4) The head injuries were caused by traffic accident(52 cases:48%), fall down(47 cases:43%), hit(9 cases:9%). 5) In clinical picture, vomiting(57 cases:53.7%) and convulsion(8 cases:7.4%) and neck sprain(55 cases:50.9%) were developed and at accident, forty seven cases(43.5%) had the history of loss of consciousness. 6) Of the patients between GCS 5 and 14, 57 cases(92%) were included in the simple cerebral contusion. Of the patients below GCS 13, 45 cases(98%) were included in the skull fracture or intracranial hemorrhagic lesions but eighteen cases of the patients below GCS 13 were taken operation. 7) In skull fracture patients, the location in the order of frequency was parietal, occipital, temporal and frontal bone. The vault skull fracture was about twelfth fold as frequent as basal skull fracture and the incidence of linear skull fracture was higher than that of depressed skull fracture, the ratio being about 7:1. 8) Among the intracranial hemorrhagic lesions, the epidural hematoma was most common lesion. Twenty one cases(81%) of the patients with intracranial hemorrhagic lesions were accompanied by skull fracture but of the patients with skull fracture, 21 cases(47%) were accompanied by intracranial hemorrhagic lesions. Seventeen cases(46%) with the linear skull fracture involved in the intracranial hemorrhagic lesions. 9) Contre coup injury was developed in 6 cases(12%) and Lucid interval was observed in 4 cases(5%) of the cases with intracranial hemorrhagic lesions. 10) Associated injuries were found in about 27% of the total patients. The frequent ones were clavicle fracture, femur fracture, tibia/fibular fracture, pelvic fracture and so on order. 11) Sequelae were noticed in about 20% of the total patients. The most frequent one was post traumatic syndrome. 12) The period of hospitalization was about 2 weeks on an average in non-surgical cases(83%) and 4-6 weeks on an average in surgical cases(70%).