From Cause to Recovery: The Influence of Traumatic Brain Injury Mechanisms on Long-Term Functional Independence
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Background/Objectives
This systematic review examines how different mechanisms of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) influence post-injury functional independence and aims to clarify whether recovery patterns vary by injury type. A total of 105 studies (n = 59,621) involving adults with TBI were synthesized. These findings can guide clinicians and researchers in predicting outcomes and effectively customizing rehabilitation plans.
Methods
A review following PRISMA standards analyzed English-language studies published from 1975 to 2025, assessed functional outcomes using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) or the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE), converted them to z-scores, and aggregated them via a random-effects model with inverse-variance weighting to demonstrate their relevance.
Results
Recreational TBIs show the highest functional independence ( z = +1.77), followed by MVAs ( z = +1.56), with falls ( z = +0.70) and assault-related TBIs ( z = −0.12) showing moderate outcomes, and TBIs with penetrating trauma ( z = −1.15) indicating the most adverse results.
Conclusions
TBI mechanisms appear to meaningfully influence long-term post-injury functional independence. Highlighting this can inspire clinicians and researchers to trust these insights to improve prognosis and rehabilitation strategies, underscoring their crucial role in advancing patient care.
