Disability in young people and adults one year after head injury: prospective cohort study

Thornhill, S., Teasdale, G.M., Murray, G.D., McEwen, J., Roy, C. and Penny, K.I. (2000) Disability in young people and adults one year after head injury: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 1631-1635. (doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7250.1631)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of disability in young people and adults admitted to hospital with a head injury and to estimate the annual incidence in the community. DESIGN: Prospective, hospital based cohort study, with one year follow up of sample stratified by coma score. SETTING: Five acute hospitals in Glasgow. SUBJECTS: 2962 patients (aged 14 years or more) with head injury; 549 (71%) of the 769 patients selected for follow up participated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Glasgow outcome scale and problem orientated questionnaire. RESULTS: Survival with moderate or severe disability was common after mild head injury (47%, 95% confidence interval 42% to 52%) and similar to that after moderate (45%, 35% to 56%) or severe injury (48%, 36% to 60%). By extrapolation from the population identified (90% of whom had mild injuries), it was estimated that annually in Glasgow (population 909 498) 1400 young people and adults are still disabled one year after head injury. CONCLUSION: The incidence of disability in young people and adults admitted with a head injury is higher than expected. This reflects the high rate of sequelae previously unrecognised in the large number of patients admitted to hospital with an apparently mild head injury.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Teasdale, Professor Graham and McEwen, Professor James and Murray, Ms Gillian and Roy, Dr Christopher
• Authors: Thornhill, S., Teasdale, G.M., Murray, G.D., McEwen, J., Roy, C., and Penny, K.I.
• Subjects: R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
• Journal Name: British Medical Journal
• Journal Abbr.: BMJ
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• ISSN: 0959-535X
• ISSN (Online): 1756-1833
• Copyright Holders: © BMJ Publishing Group
• First Published: First published in the BMJ 320:1631-1635
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher