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Increased risk of schizophrenia following traumatic brain injury: a 5-year follow-up study in Taiwan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 September 2010

Yi-Hua Chen ,
Wen-Ta Chiu ,
Shu-Fen Chu  and
Herng-Ching Lin
Yi-Hua Chen
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Wen-Ta Chiu*
Affiliation:
Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Shu-Fen Chu
Affiliation:
Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Herng-Ching Lin*
Affiliation:
School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
*
(Email: wtchiu@tmu.edu.tw) [W.-T. Chiu]
*Address for correspondence: H.-C. Lin, Ph.D., School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan. (Email: henry@tmu.edu.tw) [H.-C. Lin]
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Abstract

Background

Whether traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an independent risk factor for the subsequent development of schizophrenia has evoked considerable controversy. No evidence has been previously reported from Asia. This study estimated the risk of schizophrenia during a 5-year period following hospital admission for TBI relative to a comparison group of non-TBI patients during the same period in Taiwan.

Method

Two datasets were linked: the Traumatic Brain Injury Registry and the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Dataset. A total of 3495 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of TBI from 2001 to 2002 were included, together with 17 475 non-TBI patients as the comparison group, matched on sex, age, and year of TBI hospitalization. Each individual was followed for 5 years to identify any later diagnosis of schizophrenia. Cox proportional hazard regressions were performed for analysis.

Results

During the 5-year follow-up period, patients who had suffered TBI were independently associated with a 1.99-fold (95% confidence interval 1.28–3.08) increased risk of subsequent schizophrenia, after adjusting for monthly income and residential geographical location. The severity and type of TBI was not associated with the subsequent development of schizophrenia.

Conclusions

Our findings add important evidence from Asia and suggest a potential link between TBI and schizophrenia. Our study suggests that clinicians and family members should be alert to possible neuropsychiatric conditions following TBI.

Keywords

Glasgow coma scaleschizophreniatraumatic brain injury
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 6 , June 2011 , pp. 1271 - 1277
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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