Evidence of Ongoing Cerebral Microstructural Reorganization in Children With Persisting Symptoms Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A NODDI DTI Analysis.

Approximately 300-550 children per 100,000 sustain a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) each year, of whom ∼25-30% have long-term cognitive problems. Following mTBI, free water (FW) accumulation occurs in white matter (WM) tracts. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can be used to investigate structural integrity following mTBI. Compared with conventional DTI, neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) orientation dispersion index (ODI) and fraction of isolated free water (FISO) metrics may allow a more advanced insight into microstructural damage following pediatric mTBI. In this longitudinal study, we used NODDI to explore whole-brain and tract-specific differences in ODI and FISO in children with persistent symptoms after mTBI (n = 80) and in children displaying clinical recovery (n = 32) at 1 and 2-3 months post-mTBI compared with healthy controls (HCs) (n = 21). Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and voxelwise two-sample t tests were conducted to compare whole-brain and tract-specific diffusion across groups. All results were corrected at positive false discovery rate (pFDR) <0.05. We also examined the association between NODDI metrics and clinical outcomes, using logistical regression to investigate the value of NODDI metrics in predicting future recovery from mTBI. Whole-brain ODI was significantly increased in symptomatic participants compared with HCs at both 1 and 2 months post-injury, where the uncinate fasciculus (UF) and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) were particularly implicated. Using region of interest (ROI) analysis in significant WM, bilateral IFOF and UF voxels, symptomatic participants had the highest ODI in all ROIs. ODI was lower in asymptomatic participants, and HCs had the lowest ODI in all ROIs. No changes in FISO were found across groups or over time. WM ODI was moderately correlated with a higher youth-reported post-concussion symptom inventory (PCSI) score. With 87% predictive power, ODI (1 month post-injury) and clinical predictors (age, sex, PCSI score, attention scores) were a more sensitive predictor of recovery at 2-3 months post-injury than fractional anisotropy (FA) and clinical predictors, or clinical predictors alone. FISO could not predict recovery at 2-3 months post-injury. Therefore, we found that ODI was significantly increased in symptomatic children following mTBI compared with HCs at 1 month post-injury, and progressively decreased over time alongside clinical recovery. We found no significant differences in FISO between groups or over time. WM ODI at 1 month was a more sensitive predictor of clinical recovery at 2-3 months post-injury than FA, FISO, or clinical measures alone. Our results show evidence of ongoing microstructural reorganization or neuroinflammation between 1 and 2-3 months post-injury, further supporting delayed return to play in children who remain symptomatic. We recommend future research examining the clinical utility of NODDI following mTBI to predict recovery or persistence of post-concussion symptoms and thereby inform management of mTBI.

Pediatric Sport-Related Concussion: Recommendations From the Amsterdam Consensus Statement 2023.

The 6th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport, Amsterdam 2022, addressed sport-related concussion (SRC) in adults, adolescents, and children. We highlight the updated evidence-base and recommendations regarding SRC in children (5-12 years) and adolescents (13-18 years). Prevention strategies demonstrate lower SRC rates with mouthguard use, policy disallowing bodychecking in ice hockey, and neuromuscular training in adolescent rugby. The Sport Concussion Assessment Tools (SCAT) demonstrate robustness with the parent and child symptom scales, with the best diagnostic discrimination within the first 72 hours postinjury. Subacute evaluation (>72 hours) requires a multimodal tool incorporating symptom scales, balance measures, cognitive, oculomotor and vestibular, mental health, and sleep assessment, to which end the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tools (SCOAT6 [13+] and Child SCOAT6 [8-12]) were developed. Rather than strict rest, early return to light physical activity and reduced screen time facilitate recovery. Cervicovestibular rehabilitation is recommended for adolescents with dizziness, neck pain, and/or headaches for greater than 10 days. Active rehabilitation and collaborative care for adolescents with persisting symptoms for more than 30 days may decrease symptoms. No tests and measures other than standardized and validated symptom rating scales are valid for diagnosing persisting symptoms after concussion. Fluid and imaging biomarkers currently have limited clinical utility in diagnosing or assessing recovery from SRC. Improved paradigms for return to school were developed. The variable nature of disability and differences in evaluating para athletes and those of diverse ethnicity, sex, and gender are discussed, as are ethical considerations and future directions in pediatric SRC research.

Attention Please! Unravelling the Link Between Brain Network Connectivity and Cognitive Attention Following Acquired Brain Injury: A Systematic Review of Structural and Functional Measures.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke are the most common causes of acquired brain injury (ABI), annually affecting 69 million and 15 million people, respectively. Following ABI, the relationship between brain network disruption and common cognitive issues including attention dysfunction is heterogenous. Using PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed 43 studies published by February 2023 that reported correlations between attention and connectivity. Across all ages and stages of recovery, following TBI, greater attention was associated with greater structural efficiency within/between executive control network (ECN), salience network (SN), and default mode network (DMN) and greater functional connectivity (fc) within/between ECN and DMN, indicating DMN interference. Following stroke, greater attention was associated with greater structural connectivity (sc) within ECN; or greater fc within the dorsal attention network (DAN). In childhood ABI populations, decreases in structural network segregation were associated with greater attention. Longitudinal recovery from TBI was associated with normalization of DMN activity, and in stroke, normalization of DMN and DAN activity. Results improve clinical understanding of attention-related connectivity changes after ABI. Recommendations for future research include increased use of electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure connectivity at the point of care, standardized attention and connectivity outcome measures and analysis pipelines, detailed reporting of patient symptomatology, and casual analysis of attention-related connectivity using brain stimulation.

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative: Systematic Review of Predictive Value of Biological Markers for People With Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (AUS-TBI) aims to co-design a data resource to predict outcomes for people with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across Australia. Fundamental to this resource is the data dictionary, which is an ontology of data items. Here, we report the systematic review and consensus process for inclusion of biological markers in the data dictionary. Standardized database searches were implemented from inception through April 2022. English-language studies evaluating association between a fluid, tissue, or imaging marker and any clinical outcome in at least 10 patients with moderate-severe TBI were included. Records were screened using a prioritization algorithm and saturation threshold in Research Screener. Full-length records were then screened in Covidence. A pre-defined algorithm was used to assign a judgement of predictive value to each observed association, and high-value predictors were discussed in a consensus process. Searches retrieved 106,593 records; 1,417 full-length records were screened, resulting in 546 included records. Two hundred thirty-nine individual markers were extracted, evaluated against 101 outcomes. Forty-one markers were judged to be high-value predictors of 15 outcomes. Fluid markers retained following the consensus process included ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), S100, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Imaging markers included computed tomography (CT) scores (e.g., Marshall scores), pathological observations (e.g., hemorrhage, midline shift), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) classification (e.g., diffuse axonal injury). Clinical context and time of sampling of potential predictive indicators are important considerations for utility. This systematic review and consensus process has identified fluid and imaging biomarkers with high predictive value of clinical and long-term outcomes following moderate-severe TBI.

What tests and measures accurately diagnose persisting post-concussive symptoms in children, adolescents and adults following sport-related concussion? A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine what tests and measures accurately diagnose persisting post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) in children, adolescents and adults following sport-related concussion (SRC). DESIGN: A systematic literature review. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus through March 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Original, empirical, peer-reviewed findings (cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies and case series) published in English and focused on SRC. Studies needed to compare individuals with PPCS to a comparison group or their own baseline prior to concussion, on tests or measures potentially affected by concussion or associated with PPCS. RESULTS: Of 3298 records screened, 26 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis, including 1016 participants with concussion and 531 in comparison groups; 7 studies involved adults, 8 involved children and adolescents and 11 spanned both age groups. No studies focused on diagnostic accuracy. Studies were heterogeneous in participant characteristics, definitions of concussion and PPCS, timing of assessment and the tests and measures examined. Some studies found differences between individuals with PPCS and comparison groups or their own pre-injury assessments, but definitive conclusions were not possible because most studies had small convenience samples, cross-sectional designs and were rated high risk of bias. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of PPCS continues to rely on symptom report, preferably using standardised symptom rating scales. The existing research does not indicate that any other specific tool or measure has satisfactory accuracy for clinical diagnosis. Future research drawing on prospective, longitudinal cohort studies could help inform clinical practice.

Health care impact of implementing a clinical pathway for acute care of pediatric concussion: a stepped wedge, cluster randomised trial.

OBJECTIVES: To test the effects of actively implementing a clinical pathway for acute care of pediatric concussion on health care utilization and costs. METHODS: Stepped wedge, cluster randomized trial of a clinical pathway, conducted in 5 emergency departments (ED) in Alberta, Canada from February 1 to November 30, 2019. The clinical pathway emphasized standardized assessment of risk for persistent symptoms, provision of consistent information to patients and families, and referral for outpatient follow-up. De-identified administrative data measured 6 outcomes: ED return visits; outpatient follow-up visits; length of ED stay, including total time, time from triage to physician initial assessment, and time from physician initial assessment to disposition; and total physician claims in an episode of care. RESULTS: A total of 2878 unique patients (1164 female, 1713 male) aged 5-17 years (median 11.00, IQR 8, 14) met case criteria. They completed 3009 visits to the 5 sites and 781 follow-up visits to outpatient care, constituting 2910 episodes of care. Implementation did not alter the likelihood of an ED return visit (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.39, 1.52), but increased the likelihood of outpatient follow-up visits (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.19, 2.85). Total length of ED stay was unchanged, but time from physician initial assessment to disposition decreased significantly (mean change - 23.76 min, 95% CI - 37.99, - 9.52). Total physician claims increased significantly at only 1 of 5 sites. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a clinical pathway in the ED increased outpatient follow-up and reduced the time from physician initial assessment to disposition, without increasing physician costs. Implementation of a clinical pathway can align acute care of pediatric concussion more closely with existing clinical practice guidelines while making care more efficient. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05095012.

ABSTRAIT: OBJECTIFS: Mettre à l'essai les effets de la mise en œuvre active d'une voie clinique pour le traitement aigu des commotions cérébrales chez les enfants sur l'utilisation et les coûts des soins de santé. MéTHODES: Essai randomisé en grappes d'une voie clinique, échelonné, mené dans cinq services d'urgence en Alberta, au Canada, du 1 février au 30 novembre 2019. Le cheminement clinique mettait l'accent sur l'évaluation normalisée du risque de symptômes persistants, la fourniture de renseignements uniformes aux patients et aux familles, et l'aiguillage vers un suivi externe. Les données administratives dépersonnalisées ont permis de mesurer six résultats : visites de retour à l'urgence; visites de suivi en clinique externe; durée du séjour à l'urgence, y compris le temps total. le temps entre le triage et l'évaluation initiale du médecin, et le temps entre l'évaluation initiale du médecin et la décision; et le nombre total de demandes de remboursement du médecin dans un épisode de soins. RéSULTATS: Un total de 2878 patients uniques (1164 femmes, 1713 hommes) âgés de 5 à 17 ans (médiane 11,00, IQR 8, 14) répondaient aux critères de cas. Ils ont effectué 3009 visites aux 5 sites et 781 visites de suivi aux soins ambulatoires, ce qui représente 2910 épisodes de soins. La mise en œuvre n'a pas modifié la probabilité d'une visite de retour à l'urgence (RC 0,77, IC à 95 %, 0,39, 1,52), mais a augmenté la probabilité de visites de suivi en clinique externe (RC 1,84, IC à 95 %, 1,19, 2,85). La durée totale du séjour à l'urgence est demeurée inchangée, mais le temps écoulé entre l'évaluation initiale du médecin et la décision a diminué considérablement (changement moyen : -23,76 minutes, IC à 95 %, -37,99, -9,52). Le nombre total de demandes de règlement de médecins a augmenté de façon significative à seulement 1 site sur 5. CONCLUSIONS: La mise en œuvre d'un cheminement clinique à l'urgence a augmenté le suivi des patients externes et réduit le temps entre l'évaluation initiale du médecin et son élimination, sans augmenter les coûts des médecins. La mise en œuvre d'un cheminement clinique peut harmoniser davantage les soins de courte durée en cas de commotion cérébrale pédiatrique avec les lignes directrices de pratique clinique existantes tout en rendant les soins plus efficaces. ENREGISTREMENT D'ESSAI: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05095012.

The effect of bariatric surgery on opioid consumption in patients with obesity: a registry-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Misuse of opioid medication has become a major health crisis in several countries. A significant number of patients with obesity use opioid medications, mostly to alleviate symptoms due to obesity-related co-morbidities. OBJECTIVE: To compare patterns of opioid drug usage before and after bariatric surgery in this population, hypothesizing that weight loss and improvement of obesity-related co-morbidities could reduce opioid consumption. SETTING: The Ontario Bariatric Registry (Ontario, Canada). METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, the Ontario Bariatric Registry was used to compare opioid consumption in adult patients undergoing bariatric surgery between 2010 and 2021. The primary outcome was the number of patients using opioid medication at 1 year after surgery. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify potential predictors of opioid consumption. RESULTS: Data of 11,179 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 45.7 ± 10.2 years, mean baseline body mass index was 48.9 ± 8 kg/m2, and 83.6% of patients were female. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was performed in the majority of patients (85.6%), followed by sleeve gastrectomy (14.2%). At baseline, opioids were used by 7.7% and nonopioid pain medications by 42.3% of patients. At 1 year after surgery, these numbers significantly decreased (Δ-1.9% and Δ-18.0%, respectively). The decrease in the consumption of nonopioid pain medication needs to be interpreted in the context of the contraindication to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which was the most commonly performed procedure. Presence of musculoskeletal pain and use of nonopioid pain medication at baseline were identified as independent predictors of opioid consumption at 1 year after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: At 1 year after bariatric surgery, a significant decrease in opioid and nonopioid pain medication consumption was seen among patients with obesity. Aggressive management of excess weight, especially with bariatric surgery, can potentially reduce the impact of the opioid crisis in this population.

Clinical safety and efficacy of a fully automated robot for magnetic resonance imaging-guided breast biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided biopsies are an accurate, but technically challenging, method for screening and diagnosis of breast lesions. This study assesses the safety and efficacy of an Image Guided Automated Robot (IGAR) in performing breast biopsies compared to manual procedures. METHODS: Safety was determined from adverse events (AEs) and device deficiencies. Efficacy was assessed using targeting accuracy, number of successful biopsies, pain and scar scores, patient discomfort, and radiologist-determined ease-of-use. RESULTS: All seven procedures in phase I were successfully and safely completed with no AEs and one device deficiency. The 23 IGAR biopsies in phase II outperformed the 18 manual biopsies in 1-week pain scores (p = 0.027), scarring at 1-week (p = 0.035), 1-month (p = 0.004), and components of comfort and ease-of-use. Phase II had seven and three AEs in the IGAR and manual groups, respectively (p = 0.317), with no serious AEs and nine device deficiencies. CONCLUSIONS: The IGAR system is safe and effective for breast biopsy procedures. The results from these trials indicate the IGAR system as a potentially viable alternative to manual breast biopsy procedures.

Structural brain network lateralization across childhood and adolescence.

Developmental lateralization of brain function is imperative for behavioral specialization, yet few studies have investigated differences between hemispheres in structural connectivity patterns, especially over the course of development. The present study compares the lateralization of structural connectivity patterns, or topology, across children, adolescents, and young adults. We applied a graph theory approach to quantify key topological metrics in each hemisphere including efficiency of information transfer between regions (global efficiency), clustering of connections between regions (clustering coefficient [CC]), presence of hub-nodes (betweenness centrality [BC]), and connectivity between nodes of high and low complexity (hierarchical complexity [HC]) and investigated changes in these metrics during development. Further, we investigated BC and CC in seven functionally defined networks. Our cross-sectional study consisted of 211 participants between the ages of 6 and 21 years with 93% being right-handed and 51% female. Global efficiency, HC, and CC demonstrated a leftward lateralization, compared to a rightward lateralization of BC. The sensorimotor, default mode, salience, and language networks showed a leftward asymmetry of CC. BC was only lateralized in the salience (right lateralized) and dorsal attention (left lateralized) networks. Only a small number of metrics were associated with age, suggesting that topological organization may stay relatively constant throughout school-age development, despite known underlying changes in white matter properties. Unlike many other imaging biomarkers of brain development, our study suggests topological lateralization is consistent across age, highlighting potential nonlinear mechanisms underlying developmental specialization.

Outcomes of bariatric surgery in elderly patients: a registry-based cohort study with 3-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients undergo bariatric surgery less frequently than younger patients. Short- and medium-term outcomes after bariatric surgery in the elderly population remain largely unknown. The objective of the present retrospective, registry-based cohort study was to compare short- and medium-term outcomes between patients <65 and ≥65 years undergoing bariatric surgery, hypothesizing similar outcomes between groups. METHODS: In this retrospective, registry-based cohort study, the Ontario Bariatric Registry was used to compare data of patients <65 and ≥65 years who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy between January 2010 and August 2019 in all accredited bariatric centers of excellence in Ontario, Canada. Primary outcomes were overall postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes included early (<30 days) complications, readmissions, reoperations, mortality, weight loss and comorbidities improvement at 1 and 3 year after surgery. RESULTS: Data of 22,981 patients <65 and 532 patients ≥65 years were analyzed. Overall postoperative complications were similar between patients <65 and ≥65 years (3388/22,981 [14.7%] vs. 73/532 [13.7%], p = 0.537). Early (<30 days) postoperative complications, readmissions, reoperations, and mortality rates were also similar between groups. Both groups had significant weight loss and comorbidities improvement at 1- and 3-year follow-up. Patients <65 years had superior weight loss (+3.5%, 95% CI: 1.6-5.4, p < 0.001) and higher rates of remission for diabetes mellitus (63.8% vs. 39.3%, p < 0.001), hypertension (37.9% vs. 14.5%, p < 0.001), dyslipidemia (28.2% vs. 9.5%, p < 0.001) and gastroesophageal reflux (65.1% vs. 24.0 %, p < 0.001) compared to patients ≥65 years at 3 year. CONCLUSIONS: Patients <65 and ≥65 years had similar perioperative morbidity and mortality after bariatric surgery. Even though patients <65 years had overall better medium-term outcomes, bariatric surgery is safe and yields significant weight loss and comorbidities improvement in patients ≥65 years.

From telementorship to automation.

The effective integration of robotic technology and surgical tools has played a vital role in advancing surgical care by enabling telepresence in surgery to provide mentorship and surgical care across long distances in the absence of surgeons. This article describes our experiences with advancing surgical education and innovation through telementoring community surgeons, establishing the world's first telerobotic surgical service, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence and robotics to provide remote surgical care and training.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in autism spectrum disorder: protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: There are no well-established biomedical treatments for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A small number of studies suggest that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, may improve clinical and cognitive outcomes in ASD. We describe here the protocol for a funded multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial to investigate whether a course of rTMS to the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ), which has demonstrated abnormal brain activation in ASD, can improve social communication in adolescents and young adults with ASD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of a 4-week course of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS, a variant of rTMS) in ASD. Participants meeting criteria for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition ASD (n=150, aged 14-40 years) will receive 20 sessions of either active iTBS (600 pulses) or sham iTBS (in which a sham coil mimics the sensation of iTBS, but no active stimulation is delivered) to the rTPJ. Participants will undergo a range of clinical, cognitive, epi/genetic, and neurophysiological assessments before and at multiple time points up to 6 months after iTBS. Safety will be assessed via a structured questionnaire and adverse event reporting. The study will be conducted from November 2020 to October 2024. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Monash Health (Melbourne, Australia) under Australia's National Mutual Acceptance scheme. The trial will be conducted according to Good Clinical Practice, and findings will be written up for scholarly publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620000890932).

Comparison of single- versus double-anastomosis duodenal switch: a single-center experience with 2-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Single-anastomosis duodenal switch (SADS) has emerged in recent years as an alternative to the standard double-anastomosis duodenal switch (DADS). The objective of this study was to compare short- and medium-term outcomes between SADS and DADS. METHODS: Data collected in the Ontario Bariatric Registry between 2010 and 2019 were used for this retrospective study to determine outcomes of patients undergoing primary laparoscopic SADS versus DADS at a Canadian tertiary hospital and bariatric center of excellence. The primary outcome was weight loss at 1 and 2 years after surgery. Short-term secondary outcomes included operative times, intra- and early postoperative complications, hospital length of stay (LOS), and 30-day readmissions. Medium-term secondary outcomes included late postoperative complications as well as nutritional deficiencies and persistent diarrhea at 1 and 2 years after surgery. Subgroup analyses were performed to compare patients undergoing one- and two-stage procedures. RESULTS: Data of 107 patients who underwent SADS (n = 25) or DADS (n = 82) were included in the study. Follow-up data were available for 59/107 (55.1%) patients at 1 year and 47/107 (43.9%) at 2 years after surgery. Patients in the SADS and DADS groups had similar %TBWL at 1 year (23.6 versus 26.2, P = 0.617) and 2 years (24.8 versus 30.2, P = 0.116) after surgery. Short- and medium-term outcomes were similar between groups. There was no difference between patients undergoing one- versus two-stage procedures. CONCLUSION: This study showed that patients undergoing SADS and DADS had similar weight loss at 1 and 2 years. Early and late postoperative morbidity, operative times, early readmissions, and LOS were also similar between groups. Further studies with longer follow-up are required to confirm these results.

Obesity, Cancer, and Risk Reduction with Bariatric Surgery.

The prevalence of noncommunicable diseases has increased dramatically in North America and throughout the world and is expected to continue increasing in coming years. Obesity has been linked to several types of cancers and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality following cancer diagnosis. Bariatric surgery has emerged as the prominent model to evaluate the effects of intentional weight loss on cancer incidence and outcomes. Current literature, comprising prospective cohort investigations, indicates site-specific reductions in cancer risk with select bariatric procedures. Future research is required to establish evidence-based indications for bariatric surgery in the context of cancer prevention.

Australian and New Zealand Guideline for Mild to Moderate Head Injuries in Children.

OBJECTIVE: Children frequently present with head injuries to acute care settings. Although international paediatric clinical practice guidelines for head injuries exist, they do not address all considerations related to triage, imaging, observation versus admission, transfer, discharge and follow-up of mild to moderate head injuries relevant to the Australian and New Zealand context. The Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) set out to develop an evidence-based, locally applicable, practical clinical guideline for the care of children with mild to moderate head injuries presenting to acute care settings. METHODS: A multidisciplinary Guideline Working Group (GWG) developed 33 questions in three key areas - triage, imaging and discharge of children with mild to moderate head injuries presenting to acute care settings. We identified existing high-quality guidelines and from these guidelines recommendations were mapped to clinical questions. Updated literature searches were undertaken, and key new evidence identified. Recommendations were created through either adoption, adaptation or development of de novo recommendations. The guideline was revised after a period of public consultation. RESULTS: The GWG developed 71 recommendations (evidence-informed = 35, consensus-based = 17, practice points = 19), relevant to the Australian and New Zealand setting. The guideline is presented as three documents: (i) a detailed Full Guideline summarising the evidence underlying each recommendation; (ii) a Guideline Summary; and (iii) a clinical Algorithm: Imaging and Observation Decision-making for Children with Head Injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The PREDICT Australian and New Zealand Guideline for Mild to Moderate Head Injuries in Children provides high-level evidence and practical guidance for front line clinicians.

"What is the actual goal of the pathway?": examining emergency department physician and nurse perspectives on the implementation of a pediatric concussion pathway using the theoretical domains framework.

BACKGROUND: Multiple evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist to guide the management of concussion in children, but few have been translated into clinical pathways (CP), which operationalize guidelines into accessible and actionable algorithms that can be more readily implemented by health care providers. This study aimed to identify the clinical behaviours, attitudinal factors, and environmental contexts that potentially influence the implementation of a clinical pathway for pediatric concussion. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted from October 2017 to January 2018 with 42 emergency department clinicians (17 physicians, 25 nurses) at five urban emergency departments in Alberta, Canada. A Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF)-informed interview guide contained open-ended questions intended to gather feedback on the proposed pathway developed for the study, as well as factors that could potentially influence its implementation. RESULTS: The original 14 domains of the TDF were collapsed into 6 clusters based on significant overlap between domains in the issues discussed by clinicians: 1) knowledge, skills, and practice; 2) professional roles and identity; 3) attitudes, beliefs, and motivations; 4) goals and priorities; 5) local context and resources; and 6) engagement and collaboration. The 6 clusters identified in the interviews each reflect 2-4 predominant topics that can be condensed into six overarching themes regarding clinicians' views on the implementation of a concussion CP: 1) standardization in the midst of evolving research; 2) clarifying and communicating goals; 3) knowledge dissemination and alignment of information; 4) a team-oriented approach; 5) site engagement; and 6) streamlining clinical processes. CONCLUSION: Application of a comprehensive, evidence-based, and theory-driven framework in conjunction with an inductive thematic analysis approach enabled six themes to emerge as to how to successfullly implement a concussion CP.

Cerebral Blood Flow Predicts Recovery in Children with Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are associated with differential changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF). Given its potential as a therapeutic target, we examined CBF changes during recovery in children with PPCS. We hypothesized that CBF would decrease and that such decreases would mirror clinical recovery. In a prospective cohort study, 61 children and adolescents (mean age 14 [standard deviation = 2.6] years; 41% male) with PPCS were imaged with three-dimensional (3D) pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labelled (pCASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 4-6 and 8-10 weeks post-injury. Exclusion criteria included any significant past medical history and/or previous concussion within the past 3 months. Twenty-three participants had clinically recovered at the time of the second scan. We found that relative and mean absolute CBF were higher in participants with poor recovery, 44.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 43.32, 44.67) than in those with good recovery, 42.19 (95% CI: 41.77, 42.60) mL/min/100 g gray tissue and decreased over time (ß = -1.75; p < 0.001). The decrease was greater in those with good recovery (ß = 2.29; p < 0.001) and predicted outcome in 77% of children with PPCS (odds ratio [OR] 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.80; p = 0.002). Future studies are warranted to validate the utility of CBF as a useful predictive biomarker of outcome in PPCS.

Concussion Burden, Recovery, and Risk Factors in Elite Youth Ice Hockey Players.

OBJECTIVE: To examine rates of concussion and more severe concussion (time loss of greater than 10 days) in elite 13- to 17-year-old ice hockey players. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study (Alberta, Canada). Bantam (13-14 years) and Midget (15-17 years) male and female elite (top 20% by division of play) youth ice hockey players participated in this study. Players completed a demographic and medical history questionnaire and clinical test battery at the beginning of the season. A previously validated injury surveillance system was used to document exposure hours and injury during one season of play (8 months). Players with a suspected ice hockey-related concussion were referred to the study sport medicine physicians for assessment. Time loss from hockey participation was documented on an injury report form. RESULTS: Overall, 778 elite youth ice hockey players (659 males and 119 females; aged 13-17 years) participated in this study. In total, 143 concussions were reported. The concussion incidence rate (IR) was 17.60 concussions/100 players (95% CI, 15.09-20.44). The concussion IR was 1.31 concussions/1000 player-hours (95% CI, 1.09-1.57). Time loss of greater than 10 days was reported in 74% of cases (106/143), and 20% (n = 28) had time loss of greater than 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Concussion is a common injury in elite youth ice hockey players. In this study population, a large proportion of concussions (74%) resulted in a time loss of greater than 10 days, possibly reflecting more conservative management or longer recovery in youth athletes.