Quality of life after traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and to explore its predictive factors.

MATERIAL/PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study, including 27 TBI patients followed in the physical medicine and rehabilitation department (PMR). The collected data were: age, educational level, marital status, initial Glosgow score and intensive care unit length of stay. The assessment of the QoL was based on two scales, the first one was specific: Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI), while the second was generic: the SF-36. We had assessed memory disorders by the mini-mental state (MMS) and functional capacity by The Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The handicap was assessed by Go Outcome Scale (GOS). Possible correlations between QoL and the different variables were explored.

RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 32.19 years. For QOLIBRI scale, the overall average score was 48.03%, the most affected dimensions were the feelings and social relations. Regarding the SF-36 scale, impaired QoL was found in 74% of these patients, the overall average score was 43.02. A significant correlation was found between QOLIBRI and mental composite score of the SF-36 (P=0.012). Memory disorder was significantly correlated with QoL (P=0.037). There were no statistically significant correlations between QoL and the other variables.

DISCUSSION-CONCLUSION: Memory disorder was the main predictive factor of impaired quality of life of traumatic brain injury patients; however, there was no correlation between handicap and QoL. This alteration of QOL has clinical implications and highlights the necessity of more efforts to optimize the rehabilitation interventions.