Comparison of clinical features and prognosis of patients with severe traumatic brain injury among different age groups / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the influence of age on clinical features and prognosis of severe traumatic brain injury.Methods A total of 135 patients with severe traumatic brain injury were divided into four groups according to age:the juvenile group (＜18 years,15 cases),the young adult group (18 44 years,77 cases),the middle aged group (45 59 years,37 cases) and the elderly group (＞60 years,6 cases).Neurological functions were assessed by the Disability Rating Scale (DRS),the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE),the Fugl-Meyer motor scale (FM) and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI).All the patients were followed up with DRS evaluation 1 4 years after discharge from the hospital.Results MMSE scores decreased with age,with statistically significant differences between the elderly group and the juvenile group,the young adult group and the middle aged group,respectively [(11.0±5.2) vs (21.5±8.1),(21.4±8.0) and (19.1±8.1),respectively; t=2.663、2.825、2.561,P=0.015,0.006,0.022,respectively].Similarly,when compared with the other groups,the elderly group also showed statistically significant differences in follow-up DRS scores [(12.8±6.1) vs.(4.3±3.6),(6.7±5.0) and (7.8±6.9),respectively; t=-2.382、-2.587、-2.385,P =0.040,0.013 and 0.038,respectively]; and the DRS score differentials [(2.3±4.6) vs.(6.2±4.3),(6.7±3.1) and (4.6±3.1); t=2.366、2.242、2.626,P =0.004,0.013 and 0.009,respectively].Conclusions Age may be one of the factors that affect cognitive functions and prognosis associated with traumatic brain injury,and the prognosis for elderly patients is generally unfavorable.