Disability, cognitive impairment and depression in patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – A Prospective Study

Introduction: Traumatic brain injuries are most commonly caused due to RTA in India, which has become the biggest killer. Physical deficits are given importance in the early phase of recovery post-head injury but it is the cognitive impairments and behavioural issues that lead to disability and prevent patients from returning back to work, causing an emotional and financial burden to families.
Aims and objective: Purpose of the study was to assess for disability and cognitive impairment associated with post TBI. Also to assess for the presence and severity of depression in patients suffering from TBI.
Methodology: 110 patients of TBI from the neurosurgery in-patient department, recruited from  January 2016 to June 2016 consenting to study from a tertiary care hospital are considered for assessment for a period of 6 months by follow up. Disability is assessed by using the WHO-DAS scale, cognitive impairment is assessed by the HMSE scale and severity of depression is assessed by the HAM-D scale.
Results: In this study out of 110 TBI patients, 21.8% had moderate disability and 8.2% had severe disa-bility. In this study 52.6% suffered from depression and among these 25% had mild depression, 55%had moderate and 20% had severe depression.
Conclusions: This is one of few studies done in south India specifically in Karnataka to assess for the disability associated with post TBI and also to assess for cognitive impairment that patients with TBI suffer post injury. TBI patients suffer from depression, cognitive impairment and significant disability, hence early assessment is required.