1. Cognitive and everyday functioning after bacterial brain abscess: a prospective study of functional recovery from 8 weeks to 1 year post-treatment.
- Author
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Rogne, Ane Gretesdatter, Sigurdardottir, Solrun, Raudeberg, Rune, Hassel, Bjørnar, and Dahlberg, Daniel
- Subjects
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BACTERIAL disease treatment , *MOTOR ability , *MILD cognitive impairment , *EXECUTIVE function , *FUNCTIONAL assessment , *TREATMENT effectiveness , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *LONGITUDINAL method , *ATTENTION , *CONVALESCENCE , *NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL tests , *NEUROPSYCHOLOGY , *BRAIN injuries , *BRAIN abscess , *COGNITION , *VERBAL behavior - Abstract
A bacterial brain abscess may damage surrounding brain tissue by mass effect, inflammatory processes, and bacterial toxins. The aim of this study was to examine cognitive and functional outcomes at 8 weeks and 1 year following acute treatment. Prospective study of 20 patients with bacterial brain abscess (aged 17–73 years; 45% females) with neuropsychological assessment at 8 weeks and 1 year post-treatment. Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A) and Patient Competence Rating Scale (PCRS) were used to assess everyday functioning and administered to patients and informants. Cognitive impairment was found in 30% of patients at 8 weeks and 22% at 1 year. Significant improvements were seen on tests of perceptual reasoning, attention, verbal fluency, and motor abilities (p < 0.05). At 1 year, 45% had returned to full-time employment. Nevertheless, patients and their informants obtained scores within the normal range on measures of everyday functioning (PCRS and BRIEF-A) at 8 weeks and 1 year. No significant improvements on these measures emerged over time. Residual long-term cognitive impairment and diminished work ability affected 22% and 45% of patients one year after BA. Persistent cognitive impairment emphasizes the importance of prompt acute treatment and cognitive rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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