Sex-Specific Predictors of Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE

To identify sex-specific predictors of inpatient rehabilitation outcomes among patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a population-based perspective.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Inpatient rehabilitation.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients in inpatient rehabilitation for a TBI within 1 year of acute care discharge between 2008/2009 and 2011/2012 (N=1730, 70% men, 30% women).

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Inpatient rehabilitation length of stay, total FIM score, and motor and cognitive FIM ratings at discharge.

RESULTS

Sex, as a covariate in multivariable linear regression models, was not a significant predictor of rehabilitation outcomes. Although many of the predictors examined were similar across men and women, sex-specific multivariable models identified some predictors of rehabilitation outcome that are specific for men and women; mechanism of injury (P<.0001) was a significant predictor of functional outcome only among women, whereas comorbidities (P<.0001) was a significant predictor for men only.

CONCLUSIONS

Predictors of outcomes after inpatient rehabilitation differed by sex, providing evidence for a sex-specific approach in planning and resource allocation for inpatient rehabilitation services for patients with TBI.