Assessment of functional outcome using GOSE over 3 years post-injury in patients with moderate and severe trauma

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate post-injury functional recovery over three years in patients with moderate and major trauma in Hong Kong. Methods: This is a multicentre prospective cohort study conducted in Hong Kong. The inclusion criteria were: trauma patients admitted to one of three trauma centres, with age ≥ 18 years, injury severity score (ISS) ≥ 9, meeting Trauma Registry criteria, and surviving to 48 hours. Functional outcome was measured by the extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) at 3 years post-injury. Good outcomes were defined as an extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) ≥ 7, i.e. trauma patients' status rated as lower good recovery or upper good recovery categories. Results: From 1st January 2010 to 30th September 2010, 400 patients were included. Mean age was 53.3 years; range 18–106 years; and 70% were male. 139 (35%) patients had ISS 9–15; 261 (65%) patients had ISS ≥ 16. Among those included, 38 % required ICU admission; and 58% had healthy pre-existing comorbidity status. For the GOSE analysis, the number of surviving responders at 3 years post-injury reaching a GOSE ≥ 7 was 86, which represented 54.1% of the 159 surviving responders, and 21.5% (86/400) of the original cohort. As there were no statistically significant differences between surviving responders and non-responders at baseline, the assumption is made that 54.1% of the 167 non-responders (N = 90) also reached a GOSE ≥ 7. The total number of cases reaching a GOSE ≥ 7 is therefore estimated to be (86+90), or 176, which is 44.1% of the original 400 cases. Conclusion: The proportion of cases reaching a GOSE ≥ 7 at 3 years post-injury is 44.1%.