Effects of concomitant mild traumatic brain injury on resuming work after suffering from an isolated limb fracture: A cohort study

ABSTRACT

Background: The objective is to explore the effects of concomitant mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on return to work (RTW), among patients suffering from an isolated limb fracture. This follow-up study included a total of 170 working age subjects with an isolated limb fracture, and was conducted in a phone interview approximately 1-year post trauma. 41 had experienced an mTBI and 129 did not. Methods: Data were obtained through a phone interview conducted on average 20.7 months (SD = 9.6 months) post-accident. The main outcome measure was the number of days taken to RTW after the injury. Demographic information was also gathered during the phone interview. Workers’ compensation status was obtained through the hospitals’ orthopaedic clinic data. Results: The mTBI group took on average 329.7 days (SD = 298.0) to RTW after the injury, as opposed to 150.3 days (SD = 171.3) for the control group (p < 0.001). After excluding patients who received workers’ compensation, the mTBI group still missed significantly more days of work (M = 299.4 days; SD = 333.0) than the control group (M = 105.2 days; SD = 121.6) (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study shows that mTBI increases work disability by preventing working-age individuals from rapidly returning to work.

KEYWORDS:

• Mild traumatic brain injury
• fracture
• return to work

Acknowledgments

UQTR Research Chair on the Neurobiology of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury awarded to LDB.

Declaration of Interest Statement

Dominique M. Rouleau is a consultant for Bioventus, Stryker, and Wright. Stéphane Leduc is a consultant for Styker. The institution, Montreal Sacred Heart Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada received funding from the following: Arthrex, Conmed, Depuy, Linvatec, Smith & Nephew, Stryker, Synthes, Tornier, Zimmer. For the remaining authors, no conflicts were declared.