10 YEARS FOLLOW-UP OF YOUNG ADULTS WHO SUFFERED SERIOUS TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) IN CHILDHOOD

Objectives: 165 survivors of TBI (0–17 years) during 1987–1991 were identified. The traceable individuals (149) were invited to a neurological and neuropsychological follow-up investigation in which 53 individuals took part. All 53 answered a quality of life questionnaire and a 21-item symptom checklist. The age at injury, Glasgow Coma Score, length of unconciousness, and posttraumatic amnesia did not differ from the original series of 165. Hypothesis: 1. Those who at discharge were regarded as healthy were underrepresented in this follow-up group. 2. Those who underwent neurosurgical operations had more remaining symptoms than the others. 3. Those who developed epilepsy had more remaining symptoms than the others.

Methods: The 15-D Quality of life questionnaire developed for adolescents and young adults (Sintonen) and the PCSQ (postconcussion symptom questionnaire) developed and validated for swedish conditions (Holmqvist Andersson, Thesis 2004) were filled out by the patients. A neurological examination and a scoring of the Abilities Index (Bailey and Simeonsson) was carried out by the neuropediatrician.

Results: Of those 53 that took part, 21 were regarded as healthy earlier. They had a significantly impaired quality of life (15-D) compared with a normative healthy reference group. The number of remaining symptoms was 8 in mean (SD 4.91) and significantly higher (p=0.0215) than among the “healthy” group. Only 14 /53 received rehabilitation and they had significantly more remaining symptoms (mean 11.4, SD 4.3, p=0.0205) than the group of 53. Seventeen underwent neurosurgical operations and their remaining symptoms did not differ from the entire group. Three patients suffered from epilepsy at discharge of whom one stopped medication and another seven developed epilepsy during the follow-up period. This group did not differ from the entire group of 53 concerning remaining symptoms.

Conclusion: The group “healthy at discharge” were not underrepresented in this follow-up group of 53. Those who underwent neurosurgical operations or developed Epilepsy did not differ from the entire group of 53 concerning remaining symptoms.