Head injury outcome up to ten years later.

Head injury outcome was studied in 63 severe traumatic brain-injured (TBI) victims up to ten years after injury. Extent of improvement and residual deficits in physical and mental impairment and mood and frustration tolerance changes are reported. The impact of these changes upon ability to work and to establish living situations is presented. It was found that long-term outcome is related significantly both to elapsed time between injury and admission to an intensive rehabilitation hospital program and to level of disability at admission. Major problems and needs at follow-up are reported. Thirteen demographic and clinical profile parameters are suggested to permit meaningful comparisons of long-term outcome among different groups of TBI victims.