A QEEG index of level of functional dependence for people sustaining acquired brain injury: the Seville Independence Index (SINDI).

Primary Objective: To find an easy-to-use, valid and reliable tool for evaluating the level of functional dependence of an individual with brain damage who seeks a diagnosis of his/her functional dependence in daily activities.

Methods: Eighty-one patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) in post-acute phase, 40 traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 41 cerebral vascular accident (CVA), were assessed using quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) and grouped according to the FIM + FAM scale. Discriminant analysis was performed on QEEG variables to obtain a discriminant function with the best discriminative capacity between functionality groups.

Results: Discriminant analysis showed classification accuracy of 100% in the training set sample and 75% in an external cross-validation sample; 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity were reached. Coherence measures were the most numerous variables in the function.

Conclusions: These results point out that the discriminant function may be a useful tool in objective evaluations of patients seeking a diagnosis of their level of dependence and that it could be included in current functionality assessment protocols.