Long-term outcome after severe traumatic brain injury: the McGill interdisciplinary prospective study.

OBJECTIVE To obtain a comprehensive understanding of long-term outcome after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). PARTICIPANTS Forty-six patients with sTBI. DESIGN Comparison of interdisciplinary evaluation results at discharge from acute care and at 2 to 5 year follow-up. MAIN MEASURES Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale, the FIM instrument, and the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale-Revised. RESULTS Significant improvement was observed on the FIM instrument, the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale, and on 3 factors of the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale-Revised. These measures at discharge were significant predictors of outcome. CONCLUSION Patients with sTBI 2 to 5 years postinjury showed relatively good physical and functional outcome but poorer cognitive and emotional outcome.