Traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic amnesia: a retrospective review of discharge outcomes

ABSTRACT

Primary objective: To investigate if patients with traumatic brain injury, who are discharged to the community before emergence from post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), experience more adverse outcomes than those discharged after emergence from PTA. Research design: A retrospective review of previously collected data and medical records. Methods and procedures: Occurrences of adverse events including hospital readmissions, disengagement from follow-up services, non-compliance with discharge precautions, support system breakdown or undue carer strain at the post-discharge clinic review were recorded. The Glasgow Outcome Scale – Extended (GOS-E) and Supervision Rating Scale (SRS) were completed, retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients discharged to the community, prior to emergence from PTA, were compared to 20 patients discharged within seven days of emergence from PTA. Main outcomes and results: Patients discharged prior to emergence from PTA did not experience an increase in adverse outcomes and showed a higher level of engagement in follow-up services (p = 0.015). There was no difference between groups in the improvements from discharge to clinic review on the GOS-E (p = 0.113) and SRS (p = 0.165). Conclusions: Patients can be discharged prior to emergence from PTA, if all other discharge criteria have been met, without an increase in adverse outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Brain injury
• post-traumatic amnesia
• discharge outcomes

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Occupational Therapy Department of Royal Perth Hospital.

Declaration of interest

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.