Early Intensive Rehabilitation for Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Pilot Trial

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of early intensive rehabilitation management on the recovery of motor function and activities of daily living in patients with moderate traumatic brain injury. METHODS: Eighty-seven patients (age range, 18-65 years) with traumatic brain injury that met the enrollment criteria were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group 1 received early and high-intensity rehabilitation management (from 7 days after injury, 7 d/wk, 4 times/d, 1 h/session) for 4 weeks; group 2 received ordinary rehabilitation (from 14 days after injury, 5 d/wk, 2 times/d, 1 h/session) for 4 weeks. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA, motor function) and Barthel Index (BI) were used to assess the daily living functional state before treatment, 3 months after injury, and 6 months after injury. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was used to assess outcomes 6 months after injury. RESULTS: Three months after rehabilitation, the FMA (motor function) score was significantly higher in the early intensive intervention group versus the control group (59.83 +/- 11.87 vs. 44.56 +/- 8.32, respectively; P < 0.05); no significant between-group differences were found in the GCS score or BI score (P> 0.05). Six months after rehabilitation, the FMA score and BI score were significantly higher in the early intensive intervention group versus the control group (FMA: 73.18 +/- 16.55 vs. 57.86 +/- 10.67, P < 0.01; BI: 87.17 +/- 13.85 vs. 60.68 +/- 11.98, P < 0.01, respectively). The GCS score was higher in the early intensive intervention group versus the control group (4.24 +/- 0.91 vs. 3.43 +/- 0.88, P < 0.05, respectively) 6 months after injury. CONCLUSIONS: Early intensive rehabilitation management might be more beneficial for neurologic function and activities of daily living in patients with moderate traumatic brain injury.