Early prediction of language impairment following traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Primary objective: This study investigated which factors collected early in the acute care setting (age, education, cerebral imaging, Glasgow Coma Scale score) would predict initial impairments of language comprehension and expression in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) of all severity.

Methods and procedures: Results of language tests carried out during the patients’ stay in an acute tertiary trauma centre were obtained. These tests measured performance in the areas of confrontation naming, auditory comprehension, semantic and letter category naming and comprehension of verbal absurdities. Data for the predictive variables were gathered by retrospective chart review. Stepwise multiple linear regressions were carried out on the predictive variables.

Main outcomes and results: Education and TBI severity as measured with the GCS score were the most significant factors predicting language deficits in the acute care setting.

Conclusions: These findings will serve to guide health care professionals in predicting prognosis for cognitive-communication deficits post-TBI and in planning for appropriate resources in speech-language pathology to meet these patients’ needs.

• Language impairment
• communication
• traumatic brain injury
• prediction