RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Identification of patients with mTBI at risk for developing persistent-post concussive syndromes should begin during the ED/inpatient evaluation due to frequent lack of post-discharge follow-up. The best method for evaluating cognitive deficits in these acute settings and how to utilize this information to optimize follow-up care is a matter of ongoing research. In this descriptive study, we present the cognitive profile of 214 hospitalized patients with mTBI using a novel cognitive and behavioral screener, the UCD-Cog. METHOD: A retrospective review of patients with mTBI requiring hospitalization who were enrolled in the UC Davis TBI Registry over the course of 1 year. RESULTS: Reasoning, executive function, and delayed recall were the most frequently impaired cognitive domains. GCS 13-14 was associated with higher numbers of impaired cognitive domains and frequencies of impairments in domains traditionally associated with post-concussive symptoms. Patients with abnormal UCD-Cog results, regardless of GCS, were recommended higher levels of post-discharge care and supervision. CONCLUSION: Inpatient cognitive profiles using the UCD-Cog were consistent with evaluations during the subacute/chronic phase of mTBI and supports the clinical utility of acute cognitive screeners for mTBI management. Future studies will determine how the acute cognitive assessments correlate with long-term mTBI outcomes.