Dizziness-Related Disability One Year after a Mild-to-Moderate TBI-A Follow-Up Study.
Ingerid Kleffelgård1, Nada Andelic1,2, Kari Anette Bruusgaard3
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|August 26, 2023
Summary
Mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (mmTBI) can cause lasting dizziness. Factors like pre-existing conditions, neck pain, and symptom severity predict disability one year later, highlighting the need for early rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (mmTBI) frequently leads to persistent dizziness and balance issues, significantly impacting daily functioning and quality of life.
- Understanding the long-term sequelae of mmTBI is crucial for developing effective interventions to mitigate disability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify demographic, clinical, and symptom-related factors associated with dizziness-related disability one year after mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury.
- To provide insights for early intervention strategies aimed at reducing the burden of post-TBI dizziness.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 64 participants with mmTBI, utilizing simple and multiple regression.
- The Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) served as the primary outcome measure at one year post-injury.
- Independent variables included baseline measures of comorbidities, neck pain, post-concussion symptoms (RPQ), dizziness severity (VSS-SF), anxiety/depression, balance (BESS), and mobility (HiMAT).
Main Results:
- Dizziness-related disability at one year post-mmTBI was significantly associated with pre-injury comorbidity, neck pain, higher scores on the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ), and the Vertigo Symptom Scale-short form (VSS-SF).
- Lower scores on the High-Level Mobility Assessment Tool (HiMAT) also correlated with increased dizziness disability.
- The identified factors explained 37.0% of the variance in dizziness-related disability (adjusted R² = 0.370, F = 6.52, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Pre-injury comorbidity, neck pain, greater post-concussion symptom burden, and more severe dizziness symptoms are key predictors of long-term disability after mmTBI.
- Reduced balance and mobility also contribute to persistent dizziness-related disability.
- Early and targeted rehabilitation addressing these factors is essential to improve outcomes for individuals with mmTBI.
