Cognitive-communication performance following mild traumatic brain injury: Influence of sex, age, education, site of lesion and bilingualism.

Background: Although previous research studies have defined several prognostic factors that affect cognitive-communication performance in patients with all traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity, little is known about what variables are associated with cognitive-communication impairment in complicated mild TBI (mTBI) specifically.

Aims: To determine which demographic and trauma-related factors are associated with cognitive-communication performance in the early recovery phase of acute care following a complicated mTBI.

Methods & Procedures: Demographic and accident-related data as well as the scores on cognitive-communication skill measures in the areas of auditory comprehension (complex ideational material subtest of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination), verbal reasoning (verbal absurdities subtest of the Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude), confrontation naming (short form of the Boston Naming Test), verbal fluency (semantic category and letter category naming), and conversational discourse (conversational checklist of the Protocole Montréal d'évaluation de la communication) were retrospectively collected from the medical records of 128 patients with complicated mTBI admitted to a tertiary care trauma hospital.

Early reading comprehension and speed of reading impairments in individuals with uncomplicated and complicated mild traumatic brain injury.

Purpose: Several studies have investigated cognitive-communication disorders affecting oral expression skills following TBI but very few have dealt with reading comprehension abilities. The current study aims to measure reading comprehension and speed of reading in adults with uncomplicated and complicated mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to determine which demographic and TBI-related variables are predictive of their performance.

Method: The performances of three groups of participants were compared on the Chapman-Cook Speed of Reading Test (CCSRT).

Cognitive-communication skills and acute outcome following mild traumatic brain injury.

Purpose: Little is known about cognitive-communication skills post mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We aimed to determine how performance on cognitive-communication measures in the acute recovery period relates to early outcome following complicated mTBI.

Method: Results of language and communication skill measures, demographic and accident-related data, length of stay (LOS), Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) scores and discharge destinations were retrospectively gathered for 128 admitted patients with complicated mTBI.

Acute prediction of outcome and cognitive-communication impairments following traumatic brain injury: The influence of age, education and site of lesion.

Background: Communication impairment following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been well documented, yet information regarding communication skills in the acute period following the injury is limited in the literature. Also, little is known about the influence of TBI severity (mild, moderate or severe) on cognitive-communication impairments and how these impairments are related to short-term functional outcome. The goal of this study was to assess the performance of adults with mild, moderate and severe TBI on different language tests and to determine how this performance is related to functional capacity.

Usefulness of the rivermead postconcussion symptoms questionnaire and the trail-making test for outcome prediction in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.

The aim of the study was to determine if the Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) is a better tool for outcome prediction than an objective neuropsychological assessment following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The study included 47 patients with mTBI referred to an outpatient rehabilitation clinic. The RPQ and a brief neuropsychological battery were performed in the first few days following the trauma.

Traumatic brain injury in the elderly: A level 1 trauma centre study.

Objective: To explore the characteristics and outcome of patients with TBI over 65 years old admitted to an acute care Level 1 Trauma centre in Montreal, Canada.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected on patients (n = 1812) who were admitted post-TBI to the McGill University Health Centre-Montreal General Hospital from 2000-2011. The cohort was composed of four groups over 65 years old (65-75; 76-85; 86-95; and 96 and more).

Characteristics of patients with acute traumatic brain injury discharged against medical advice in a level 1 urban trauma centre.

Primary Objective: To predict which characteristics are associated with patients at risk of discharge against medical advice (AMA).

Research Design: Data were retrospectively collected on individuals (n = 5642) admitted to the Traumatic Brain Injury Program of the MUHC-MGH.

Methods And Procedures: Outcome measures used were length of stay (LOS), the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) as well as the Functional Independence Measure (FIM®).

Trends in Hospitalization Associated with TBI in an Urban Level 1 Trauma Centre.

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the single largest cause of death and disability following injury worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the demographic, clinical, medical and accident related trends for patients with TBI hospitalized in an urban level 1 Trauma Centre.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected on individuals (n = 5,642) who were admitted to the Traumatic Brain Injury Program of the McGill University Health Centre - Montreal General Hospital from 2000 to 2011.

Early conversational discourse abilities following traumatic brain injury: an acute predictive study.

Primary Objective: To date, little information is available regarding communication and conversational discourse proficiency post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the acute care phase. The main goal of this study was to examine how conversational discourse impairment following TBI predicts early outcome. Factors which influence conversational discourse performance were also explored.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment in persons with traumatic brain injury.

The objective of this study was to examine the performance of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The MoCA was administered to 214 patients with TBI during their acute care hospitalization in a Level 1 trauma center. The results showed that patients with severe TBI had lower scores on the MoCA compared with patients with mild and moderate TBI, F(2, 211) = 10.

Acute evaluation of conversational discourse skills in traumatic brain injury.

This study looked at performance on the conversational discourse checklist of the Protocole Montréal d'évaluation de la communication (D-MEC) in 195 adults with TBI of all severity hospitalized in a Level 1 Trauma Centre. To explore validity, results were compared to findings on tests of memory, mental flexibility, confrontation naming, semantic and letter category naming, verbal reasoning, and to scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The relationship to outcome as measured with the Disability Rating Scale (DRS), the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E), length of stay, and discharge destinations was also determined.

Outcome in Women with Traumatic Brain Injury Admitted to a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Background. The aim of this study was to compare acute outcome between men and women after sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods.

The mini-mental state examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment after traumatic brain injury: an early predictive study.

Primary Objective: To compare results on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to those on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to predict the outcome at discharge from the acute care setting.

Research Design: A retrospective study.

Methods And Procedures: The MoCA and the MMSE were administered to 214 patients with TBI during their acute care hospitalization in a Level I trauma centre.

Criterion validity of a functional cognitive task in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Primary Objective: To verify criterion validity of measures from a functional cognitive task (FCT) carried out with patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) at 2-5 years post-injury.

Methods And Procedures: Forty-six patients with sTBI took part in a long-term outcome study where the FCT and the Neurobehavioural Rating Scale-Revised (NBRS-R) were administered and the FIM™ instrument was rated. The FCT is a telephone information gathering task for evaluating functional cognitive skills.

Clock drawing and mini-mental state examination in patients with traumatic brain injury.

The aim of this study was to compare the performances of patients with mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and neuropsychological measures as well as to correlate these measures with outcome assessed by the Extended Glasgow Outcome Score. This study was conducted in an acute care early rehabilitation setting on 102 patients with mild, 30 with moderate, and 30 with severe TBI. Patients with moderate and severe TBI showed more impairment on the CDT compared with those with mild TBI.

Impact of a specialized multidisciplinary tracheostomy team on tracheostomy care in critically ill patients.

Background: A multidisciplinary tracheostomy team was created in 2005 to follow critically ill patients who had undergone a tracheostomy until their discharge from hospital. Composed of a surgeon, surgical resident, respiratory therapist, speech-language pathologist and clinical nurse specialist, this team has been meeting twice a week for rounds involving patients who transitioned from the intensive care unit (ICU) to the medical and surgical wards. Our objective was to assess the impact of this multidisciplinary team on downsizing and decannulation times, on the incidence of speaking valve placement and on the incidence of tracheostomy-related complications on the ward.

Neuroanatomical correlates of the clock drawing test in patients with traumatic brain injury.

Objective: The clock drawing test (CDT) is a quick and easy to administer test that has traditionally shown parietal lobe dysfunction. The aim of this study was to correlate performance on the CDT with the presence of acute traumatic cerebral injuries sustained after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 170 patients with TBI of all severity admitted to an acute care setting.

Comprehensive clinical picture of patients with complicated vs uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury.

To compare the acute clinical profile of patients with uncomplicated vs complicated mild TBI (MTBI), socio-demographic and medical history variables were gathered for 176 patients diagnosed with MTBI and with (complicated, N = 45) or without (uncomplicated, N = 131) positive findings on cerebral imaging. Neurological examination, neuropsychological assessment and self-evaluation of post-concussive symptoms were done at 2 weeks post trauma. Patients with complicated MTBI were more likely to show auditory and vestibular system dysfunction.

Outcome in tracheostomized patients with severe traumatic brain injury following implementation of a specialized multidisciplinary tracheostomy team.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a specialized multidisciplinary tracheostomy team on outcome of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI).

Design: Retrospective study with historical controls.

Participants: Twenty-seven patients with sTBI tracheostomized before implementation of the tracheostomy team approach and 34 patients followed by the team.

Early outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury, pre-injury alcohol abuse and intoxication at time of injury.

Primary Objective: To investigate the relationship between pre-injury alcohol abuse and intoxication at time of injury on duration of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) as well as on early functional and neurobehavioural outcomes in persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) hospitalized in an acute care setting.

Methods And Procedure: Sixty persons with mild, moderate and severe TBI admitted to the intensive care unit were part of this retrospective study.

Main Outcomes: Duration of PTA, length of stay (LOS), Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E) score, the FIM dagger score as well as early neuropsychological outcome measured by the Neurobehavioural Rating Scale Revised (NBRS-R).

Long-term outcome after severe traumatic brain injury: the McGill interdisciplinary prospective study.

Objective: To obtain a comprehensive understanding of long-term outcome after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI).

Participants: Forty-six patients with sTBI.

Design: Comparison of interdisciplinary evaluation results at discharge from acute care and at 2 to 5 year follow-up.

Early prediction of language impairment following traumatic brain injury.

Primary Objective: This study investigated which factors collected early in the acute care setting (age, education, cerebral imaging, Glasgow Coma Scale score) would predict initial impairments of language comprehension and expression in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) of all severity.

Methods And Procedures: Results of language tests carried out during the patients' stay in an acute tertiary trauma centre were obtained. These tests measured performance in the areas of confrontation naming, auditory comprehension, semantic and letter category naming and comprehension of verbal absurdities.

Prediction of outcome at discharge from acute care following traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To compute outcome probabilities for persons with traumatic brain injury at discharge from acute care.

Participants: Three hundred thirty-nine patients with traumatic brain injury (239 mild, 48 moderate, 52 severe).

Setting: Level I trauma center.

Comparison of functional outcome following acute care in young, middle-aged and elderly patients with traumatic brain injury.

Primary Objective: To compare functional physical and cognitive outcome of patients in three age groups with mild, moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) at discharge from acute care.

Research Design: Retrospective database review.

Methods And Procedures: Scores on the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) and on the FIM instrument,1 discharge destination and length-of-stay (LOS) were gathered and compared for 2327 patients with TBI admitted to a level 1 trauma hospital from 1997-2003 divided into three age groups; 971 patients between 18-39 years, 672 between 40-59 years and 684 aged 60-99 years.

Overview of traumatic brain injury patients at a tertiary trauma centre.

Objective: The goal of this study was to provide a general descriptive and cognitive portrait of a population with traumatic brain injury (TBI) at the time of their acute care stay.

Material And Methods: Three hundred and forty-eight TBI patients were assessed. The following data were collected for each patient: age, level of education, duration of post-traumatic amnesia, Galveston Orientation Amnesia Test score, Glasgow Coma Scale score, results of cerebral imaging, Neurobehavioral Rating Scale score, the Functional Independence Measure cognitive score and the Glasgow Outcome Scale score.