B-32
Self-Reported Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in the Subacute Recovery Period is a Strong Predictor of Poor Neurobehavioral Outcome 2-Years Following Military-Related Mild-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury

Extract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of select pre-injury, peri-injury, and post-injury factors towards the prediction of neurobehavioral outcome at 2-years following mild-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method: Participants were 28 U.S. military service members (Mean Age = 28.6 [SD = 8.0]; 89.3% male) who had sustained a mild-moderate TBI. Participants completed the TBI Quality of Life (TBI-QOL) scale, Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, and Combat Experiences Scale within 6-months of injury (i.e., Subacute recovery phase; M = 3.7 months, SD = 2.2) and again at 2-years post-injury (M = 23.8 months, SD = 0.5). Using regression analyses, self-reported symptoms in the subacute recovery phase (i.e., PTSD, depression, resilience), as well as other factors (i.e., combat exposure, TBI severity, age, gender) were used to predict 13 outcome variables at 2-years post-injury (e.g., anger, headaches, fatigue, postconcussion symptoms). Results: PTSD symptom reporting in the subacute recovery phase was the only significant predictor of postconcussion symptom reporting (Adjusted R2 = .441, beta = .680) and 7 of the 12 TBI-QOL scales (e.g., Fatigue, Anger, Pain) at 2-years post-injury (betas = .451-644). Resilience was a significant predictor of cognitive complaints and positive affect/well-being at 2-years post-injury (betas = .338-.635). Self-reported depression symptoms were a significant predictor of grief and headaches (betas = .322-.518). Age, gender, combat exposure, and TBI severity were not significant predictors for all but one variable. Conclusion: Self-reported PTSD symptoms in the subacute recovery phase following mild-moderate TBI was consistently and strongly related to poor neurobehavioral outcome at 2-years post-injury. Sub-acute PTSD symptom reporting should be considered a risk factor for poor long-term neurobehavioral outcome that warrants early intervention.