Comparison of CT scan findings and clinical characteristics in patients with and without mental disorders following traumatic brain injury: a descriptive-longitudinal study

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Abstract

Background and Objective: The victims of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) might become prone to mental disorder. ‎The aim of this study was to compare CT scan findings and clinical characteristics in patients with and ‎without mental disorders following traumatic brain injury.Materials and Methods: Overall, 238 patients (43 females and 195 males) with TBI in the form of a descriptive-longitudinal study were chosen by nonprobability and consecutive sampling procedure and each of them were under neurosurgical examinations and psychological evaluations. After 4 months of follow-up < span lang="AR-SA">‎, 65.1% (155 cases) of patients referred to a psychiatrist to determine the nature of mental disorder due to TBI, using a structured clinical interview, based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.Results: CT- findings showed significant differences between two groups of patients with and without mental disorders four months after TBI, regarding variables for skull fracture (p < 0.03) and the occurrence of any subcranial damage(p < 0.003). Moreover, in the area of clinical characteristics between these two, variables of TBI severity (p < 0.01), level of consciousness (p < 0.001), duration of loss of consciousness (p < 0.003), duration and severity of post traumatic amnesia (p < 0.01), general disability resulting from trauma (p < 0.02) a significant difference was found out. However, the demographic variables did not appear significant.Conclusion: Based on these results, it is suggested, when patients with brain or subcranial damage are accepting in the section of neurosurgery, they should be cared enough for at least a four-month period after TBI for presentation , psychological assessments and management of mental disorder.

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Daneshvar Medicine
Volume 18, Issue 6 - Serial Number 91
March and April 2011
Pages 9-28

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