Sustained outcomes following mild traumatic brain injury: Results of a five-emergency department longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE: To report on the occurrence of sustained outcomes including post-concussion symptoms, health services used and indicators of social disruption following a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). RESEARCH DESIGN: A dual cohort comparing MTBI Emergency Department (ED) patients and a comparison group of non-head injured ED patients. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The outcomes measures employed were the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) and indicators of health services used and social disruption all recorded at the ED and at 3 and 6 months post-ED discharge. 'Sustained' meant a positive response to these measures at 3 and 6 months. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Reasonable follow-up success was achieved at 3 and 6 months and the cohorts were alike on all demographic descriptors. RPQ average score and symptom occurrence were far more frequent among MTBI patients than for the comparison cohort from 3 to 6 months. The use of health services and indicators of social disruption were also more frequent among MTBI post-discharge patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings argue that some with an MTBI suffer real complaints and they are sustained from 3 to at least 6 months. More effort should be given toward specificity of these symptoms from those reported by members of the comparison group.