@article{ref1,
title="Prognostic factors of long-term functioning and productivity after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies",
journal="Clinical rehabilitation",
year="2007",
author="Willemse-van Son, Agnes H. P. and Ribbers, Gerard M. and Verhagen, Arianne P. and Stam, Henk J.",
volume="21",
number="11",
pages="1024-1037",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To systematically review prospective cohort studies that investigated prognostic factors associated with long-term activity limitations or participation restrictions and productivity after a traumatic brain injury. DATA SOURCES: PubMed and Psychinfo were searched from 1995 to April 2005, and references were checked. REVIEW METHODS: Publications were selected if the study assessed prognostic factors for activity limitations or participation restrictions at least one year post injury; outcome was measured with another or additional measure besides the Glasgow Outcome Scale; the design was a prospective cohort study of adult traumatic brain injury patients; the article was a full-text article written in English, French, German or Dutch. Two reviewers independently assessed methodological quality. A study was considered as 'high quality' if it satisfied at least half of the maximum available quality score. RESULTS: Thirty-five articles reporting on 14 cohorts were included. Due to heterogeneity in prognostic factors and outcome measures, a best-evidence synthesis was performed. All cohorts were of high quality. Strong evidence for predicting disability was found for older age, pre-injury unemployment, pre-injury substance abuse, and more disability at rehabilitation discharge. Strong prognostic factors for being non-productive were pre-injury unemployment, longer post-traumatic amnesia, more disability at rehabilitation admission, and pre-injury substance abuse. CONCLUSION: Older age, pre-injury unemployment, pre-injury substance abuse and more disability at rehabilitation discharge are important predictors of long-term disability. Pre-injury unemployment, longer post-traumatic amnesia, more disability at rehabilitation admission and pre-injury substance abuse are important predictors of being non-productive.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0269-2155",
doi="10.1177/0269215507077603",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269215507077603"
}