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A Follow‐Up Study of Patients with Alcohol‐Related Brain Damage in the Community
Author(s) -
Price John,
Mitchell Sheila,
Wiltshire Bevan,
Graham Joan,
Williams Gail
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
australian drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0819-5331
DOI - 10.1080/09595238880000191
Subject(s) - rehabilitation , neuropsychology , brain damage , medicine , psychiatry , encephalopathy , pediatrics , emergency medicine , physical therapy , cognition
Abstract: An account is given of the outcome for 37 patients after their discharge into the community without receiving any rehabilitation geared specifically to their alcohol‐related brain damage. They were followed up for at least 12 months. There were 7 deaths, a figure greatly in excess of actuarial prediction. With one exception, neuropsychological test results at the time of intake did not predict outcome. Those admitted to the study from general hospital beds did better than those admitted through psychiatric or rehabilitation facilities, probably because those who had suffered Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) at some time (usually at the time they entered the study) did better than others. They were less likely to be drinking at the end of the follow‐up period than those without a history of WE, who generally fared badly.