OBJECTIVES

: (I) to determine prognostic factors for poor health status (HS) and recovery patterns after injury and (II) to identify high risk groups for poor HS during the first two years after injury in the clinical trauma population.

METHODS

: A prospective longitudinal cohort study followed all adult (≥18 years) injury patients admitted from August 2015 through November 2016 to a hospital in Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands. The EuroQol 5 dimensions 3 level (EQ-5D-3L) and a cognition item were collected at 1 week, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after injury. Injury classification was based on specific injury regions with the Abbreviated Injury Scale. Prognostic factors and recovery patterns were assessed with linear mixed models for the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) and the EQ-5D-3L utility score and with logistic mixed models for the dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L and cognition.

RESULTS

: Fifty percent (n=4883) of eligible patients completed a questionnaire. Median age (IQR) of the responders was 68 (53-80) years and 48% (n=2329) were male. Although patients showed to be recovered after six months for the dimensions anxiety/depression and cognition, the EQ-5D-3L dimensions mobility, pain/discomfort and usual activities still improved 2 years after injury. Lower pre-injury health status, frailty and longer LOS were important prognostic factors for both decreased health status and reporting problems in its’ dimensions during the first two years after trauma.

CONCLUSIONS

: Most recovery was seen in the first six months after injury. Different recovery patterns among the injury classifications and the dimensions of HS were found. These outcomes could be used to inform caregivers and patients about their expected recovery patterns.