Missing a follow-up after mild traumatic brain injury--does it matter?

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Public Health
• Occupational Medicine

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can impact long-term recovery and return-to-work (RTW).
• Understanding factors influencing RTW after MTBI is crucial for patient management and healthcare resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between attending a planned follow-up service 2 months post-MTBI and RTW 1 year later.
• To identify clinical characteristics associated with follow-up attendance after MTBI.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study included 343 patients diagnosed with MTBI.
• Data on demographics, clinical characteristics, and sick leave were collected.
• Patients were categorized based on attendance at a planned 2-month follow-up appointment.

Main Results:

• 67% of patients attended follow-up (AG), while 33% did not (NAG).
• The AG group had more intracranial pathology, consumed less alcohol, and were older.
• Follow-up attendance (OR=16.89) and pre-injury sick leave (OR=9.70) were unfavorably related to 12-month RTW.

Conclusions:

• Not attending the MTBI follow-up appointment was associated with a favorable outcome.
• This suggests that patients who do not attend follow-up may have a lower need for medical and rehabilitation support.