Factors influencing rehabilitation outcome in adult traumatic brain injury in Qatar

ABSTRACT

To analyze the factors influencing outcome in Traumatic Brain Injury [TBI] rehabilitation in Qatar medical records, we reviewed 50 patients with TBI who were seen between January 2004 and Sep 2007 in the Rehabilitation Unit of Rumailah Hospital [RH], Hamad Medical Corporation. Demographic and clinical variables included age at admission, length of stay in acute care [LOSa], length of stay in rehabilitation [LOSr], Rancho Level [RLA], Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS]. Functional Outcomes were functional independence measure on admission [FIMa] and functional independence measure on discharge [FIMd]. There was a significant positive correlation of FlMd with FIMa and Rancho level [r=0.69, p=0.00 and r=0.70, p=0.00] respectively, where there was no correlation between FlMd and GCS score. Negative correlation was observed between FIMd and age as well as LOSa [r=-0.47, p=0.01] and [r=-0.49, p=0.00] respectively. Multivariate regression analysis was performed taking age, Rancho, FIMa, mobility, GCS and LOSa variables as independent and FIMd as the dependent variable. The model could explain 70% of variation. It was concluded that the Rancho level of cognitive functioning, FIMa and mobility variables were the most influential factors in determining the functional outcome: