Improvement in GOS and GOSE scores 6 and 12 months after severe traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Primary objective: To assess improvements in Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and GOS extended (GOSE) scores between 6 months and 1 year following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods and procedures: One studied 214 adult patients with severe TBI with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) <9 admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). GOS scores were obtained 6 and 12 months after injury in 195 subjects. Patients were predominantly male (84%) and median age was 35 years.Main outcomes and results: Outcome (GOS and GOSE at 6 months and 1 year) was better in the high GCS score at admission (6–8) group than in the low score group (3–5). The improvement in GOS scores between 6 months and 1 year was greater in the high GCS score at admission group than in the low score group. At 6 months, 75 patients had died and 120 survived. None died between the 6–12-month assessments; at 12 months, 36% had improved GOS score.Conclusions: GOS scores improved between 6–12 months after severe TBI in 36% of survivors and it is concluded that the expectancy of improvement is incomplete at 6 months. This improvement was greater in patients with better GCS scores (6–8) at admission than in those with worse GCS scores (3–5).