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Head Injury: Variability of Course and Presence of Confounding Factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

Howard H. Kaufman ,
Jean-Pierre Bretaudierre ,
Brian J. Rowlands ,
Debra K. Stein ,
David P. Bernstein ,
Karen A. Wagner  and
Philip L. Gildenberg
Howard H. Kaufman
Affiliation:
West Virginia University Medical School
Jean-Pierre Bretaudierre
Affiliation:
Queens University, Belfast
Brian J. Rowlands
Affiliation:
Queens University, Belfast
Debra K. Stein
Affiliation:
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Houston
David P. Bernstein
Affiliation:
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Houston
Karen A. Wagner
Affiliation:
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Houston
Philip L. Gildenberg
Affiliation:
University of Texas Medical School, Houston
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Extract

Review of a large data base on 76 patients who had suffered head injuries and whose metabolic changes were being studied demonstrated the variability of their neurological courses and the importance of considering confounding factors in the analysis of such a group. It was apparent that many such patients continue to change neurologically and functionally for long periods of time, and that their ultimate outcome cannot be determined for at least 1 year. The study demonstrates the inherent complexity of a group of patients with head injuries and the need to use sophisticated statistical tools and a computer to demonstrate whether apparent trends are statistically valid in light of confounding factors and variabilities. Failure to take this complexity into account seems to be a major factor in many of the ongoing controversies in research on head injuries. A possible solution to the problem of potential biases introduced by lost patients would be to develop a method to use government records to obtain current addresses for patients involved in federally funded research.

Type
General Essays
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 5 , Issue 4 , October 1989 , pp. 631 - 638
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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