Trajectory subtypes after injury and patient-centered outcomes

BackgroundThe recent focus on patient-centered outcomes highlights the need to better describe recovery trajectories after injury. The purpose of this study was to characterize recovery trajectory subtypes that exist after non-neurologic injury.Materials and methodsA prospective, observational cohort of 500 adults with an Injury Severity Score > 10 but without traumatic brain or spinal cord injury from 2009 to 2011 was formed. The Short Form-36 was administered at admission and repeated at 1, 2, 4, and 12 mo after injury. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to determine the number and shape of physical composite score (PCS) and mental composite score (MCS) trajectories.ResultsThree PCS trajectories and five MCS trajectories were identified. For PCS, trajectory 1 (10.4%) has low baseline scores, followed by no improvement over time. Trajectory 2 (65.6%) declines 1 mo after injury then improves over time. Trajectory 3 (24.1%) has a sharp decline followed by rapid recovery. For MCS, trajectory 1 (9.4%) is low at baseline and remains low. Trajectory 2 (14.4%) has a large decrease after injury and does not recover over the next 12 mo. Trajectory 3 (22.7%) has an initial decrease in MCS early, followed by continuous recovery. Trajectory 4 (19.1%) has a steady decline over the study period. Trajectory 5 (34.3%) stays consistently high at all time points.ConclusionsRecovery after injury is complex and results in multiple recovery trajectories. This has implications for patient-centered clinical trial design and in development of patient-specific interventions to improve outcomes.