Long-Term Outcomes After Severe Acute Brain Injury Requiring Mechanical Ventilation: Recovery Trajectories Among Patients and Mental Health Symptoms of Their Surrogate Decision Makers

Long-term outcomes of patients with severe acute brain injury (SABI) and their surrogate decision makers (SDMs) are insufficiently explored.

We conducted a prospective, single-center, observational study of patients with SABI who required mechanical ventilation between September and November 2021. Two telephonic interviews were conducted at 6–12 months and 18–24 months post SABI. Patients’ functional outcomes at both time points were measured on the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended and categorized as dead (1), dependent (2–4), or independent (5–8). SDMs were interviewed at 18–24 months using validated screening tools for depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder and qualitative questions about the hardest challenges during their recovery journey.

We included 103 patients (median age 58 years, 28% female, 77% White, 51% with stroke, 49% with traumatic brain injury); in-hospital mortality was 46%. At 6–12 months and 18–24 months, 34% and 36% were independent, respectively; the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score improved ≥ 1 point for 32% between time points. Quality of life was perceived as acceptable for 47% of all survivors and 58% of independent patients by their SDMs. At 18–24 months, we reached 56 SDMs (median age 58 years, 71% female, 72% White). Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder were reported in 18%, 30%, and 7%, respectively (23%, 34%, and 9% in the 35 SDMs of survivors and 10%, 24%, and 5% in the 21 SDMs to deceased patients). Main themes about challenges for patients and SDMs included extrinsic factors related to the health care system, and intrinsic factors related to the brain injury: difficulties in adapting to a new state, mental health symptoms, and social isolation.

Mental health symptoms among SDMs of patients with SABI were frequent at 18–24 months, and the patients’ quality of life was deemed unacceptable for 42% of SDMs to independent survivors. Our findings underscore the need for psychosocial support to SDMs, the importance of addressing modifiable barriers to patient and SDM well-being, and the need for more patient/family-centric outcome measures.