TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - Outpatient follow-up after mild traumatic brain injury: results of the UPFRONT-study
JO  - Brain injury
A1  - de Koning, M. E.
A1  - Scheenen, M. E.
A1  - van der Horn, H. J.
A1  - Hageman, G.
A1  - Roks, G.
A1  - Yilmaz, T.
A1  - Spikman, J. M.
A1  - van der Naalt, J.
SP  - 1102
EP  - 1108
VL  - 31
IS  - 8
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate outpatient follow-up after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) by various medical specialists, for both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients, and to study guideline adherence regarding hospital admission. <br><br>METHODS: Patients (n = 1151) with mTBI recruited from the emergency department received questionnaires 2 weeks (n = 879), 3 months (n = 780) and 6 months (n = 668) after injury comprising outpatient follow-up by various health care providers, and outcome defined by the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E) after 6 months. <br><br>RESULTS: Hospitalized patients (60%) were older (46.6 ± 19.9 vs. 40.6 ± 18.5 years), more severely injured (GCS <15, 50% vs. 13%) with more Computed Tomography (CT) abnormalities on admission (21% vs. 2%) compared to non-hospitalized patients (p < 0.01). Almost half of the patients visited a neurologist at the outpatient clinic within six months (60% of the hospitalized and 25% of the non-hospitalized patients (χ(2) = 67.10, p < 0.01)), and approximately ten per cent consulted a psychiatrist/psychologist. Outcome was unfavourable (GOS-E <7) in 34% of hospitalized and 21% of non-hospitalized patients (χ(2) = 11.89, p < 0.01). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Two-thirds of all mTBI patients consult one or more specialists within six months after injury, with 30% having an unfavourable outcome. A quarter of non-hospitalized patients was seen at the outpatient neurology clinic, underling the importance of regular follow-up of mTBI patients irrespective of hospital admittance.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0269-9052
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2017.1296193
ID  - ref1
ER  -