Effects of Age, Sex, and Postconcussive Symptoms on Domain-Specific Quality of Life a Year after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective: To identify the factors influencing longitudinal changes in patients' scores across 6 domains of the Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI) instrument 1 year after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Design: This was a longitudinal cohort study. Participants and Setting: Eligible patients with a new diagnosis of mTBI were recruited from the outpatient clinics of the neurosurgery departments of 3 teaching hospitals in Taipei City, Taiwan. In total, 672 patients participated in the baseline assessment. Postinjury follow-up was conducted at 6 and 12 months. Main Outcome Measure: Six domains of the 37-item QOLIBRI: Cognition, Self, Daily Life and Autonomy, Social Relationships, Emotions, and Physical Problems. Results: Linear mixed-effects analyses revealed that, among patients younger than 60 years, the scores of the Cognition, Self, Daily Life and Autonomy, and Social Relationships domains significantly increased 6 months after injury; furthermore, their scores of the Cognition, Self, and Daily Life and Autonomy significantly increased 12 months after injury. By contrast, among patients 60 years and older, the scores of these domains reduced from baseline to 6 and 12 months. No significant sex-based difference was observed in the changes in scores of any QOLIBRI domain. At 6 and 12 months post-injury, the scores of the Cognition, Emotions, and Physical Problems domains were significantly higher for patients with postconcussive symptoms than for those without these symptoms. Conclusions: Although multiple characteristics of patients significantly affected their baseline scores on the 6 domains of the QOLIBRI, only age and postconcussive symptoms were significantly associated with longitudinal changes in their scores 6 and 12 months after mTBI.