Rehabilitation outcomes in patients with posttraumatic epilepsy

This study investigated 238 consecutive admissions to an adult head trauma unit during six years. Eighty-seven patients with posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) were identified. Rehabilitation outcome was measured by a locally developed rating scale obtained at admission and discharge for all head trauma patients. The PTE and non-PTE groups were comparable in terms of demographic and medical characteristics except for proportion of men, which was higher in the PTE group (84% vs 66%, p < .05). Both groups demonstrated significant functional gains on all measures during the course of their hospitalization (p <.01), although the PTE patients demonstrated lower levels of function at admission and discharge on items rated by physical, occupational, speech, and recreation therapists, and by psychologists. Furthermore, PTE patients required a higher level of nursing care on discharge (p < .05). It appears that PTE does not impede the rehabilitation process but significantly impacts posthospital rehabilitation plans of patients with blunt head injuries.