Multiple component analysis of attention early after complicated mild traumatic brain injury: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective: To analyse disorders and components of attention in patients with complicated mild traumatic brain injury. This information is needed to enable clinical workers to evaluate and provide training for attention deficits in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: In-patient and community recruitment. Participants: In-patients with mild traumatic brain injury (n?=?44) and community-recruited healthy subjects (n?=?45). Outcome measures: All participants used a battery of attention tests including the Digit Span Test (DST), Digit Cancellation Test (D-CAT1 and D-CAT2), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). Results: There were no differences in the results of the D-CAT between the patient and control groups (p?>?0.05); however, there were significant differences in the DST, SDMT and PASAT (p?<?0.01). Conclusion: Patients with mild traumatic brain injury were found to have normal sustained attention and selective attention, but impaired attention span, divided attention, shifting attention and information processing speed, requiring clinical workers to focus more on these deficits.