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Inpatient rehabilitation outcomes in acquired brain injury: a retrospective study
Sefa Gümrük Aslan1, Şehri Bariş Saklica1, Sinem Uyar Köylü1
1University of Health Sciences, Ankara Gaziler Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Health Application and Research Center, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation - Ankara, Türkiye.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to describe the demographic, clinical, cognitive, and functional characteristics of acquired brain injury patients, analyze complications, and evaluate inpatient rehabilitation outcomes.
Methods:
Retrospective review of 50 acquired brain injury patients undergoing multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation (2019-2024). Glasgow Coma Scale, post-traumatic amnesia, cognitive scales (Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Rancho Los Amigos), Functional Ambulation Scale, and complications were assessed.
Results:
Traumatic etiology comprised 76% of cases; 72% were severe (Glasgow Coma Scale 3-8). Prolonged post-traumatic amnesia (>24 h) was significantly associated with severe injury (p<0.001). Spasticity (64%), contractures (42%), speech disorders (42%), and dysphagia (34%) were most prevalent. Functional Ambulation Scale score 0 decreased from 58 to 42% post-rehabilitation; Functional Ambulation Scale 3-5 increased from 24 to 46% (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.001).
Conclusion:
Structured multidisciplinary rehabilitation was associated with measurable functional gains in acquired brain injury patients despite severe deficits and frequent complications; however, the absence of a control group precludes causal conclusions.