A Multifaceted Approach to Interpreting Reaction Time Deficits After Adolescent Concussion.

CONTEXT: Reaction time (RT) is a critical element of return to participation (RTP), and impairments have been linked to subsequent injury after a concussion. Current RT assessments have limitations in clinical feasibility and in the identification of subtle deficits after concussion symptom resolution. OBJECTIVES: To examine the utility of RT measurements (clinical drop stick, simple stimulus-response, single-task Stroop, and dual-task Stroop) to differentiate between adolescents with concussion and uninjured control individuals at initial assessment and RTP. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: A pediatric sports medicine center associated with a regional tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven adolescents with a concussion (mean age = 14.8 ± 2.1 years; 52% female; tested 7.0 ± 3.3 days postconcussion) and 21 uninjured control individuals (mean age = 15.5 ± 1.6 years; 48% female). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Participants completed the Post-Concussion Symptoms Inventory (PCSI) and a battery of RT tests: clinical drop stick, simple stimulus-response, single-task Stroop, and dual-task Stroop. RESULTS: The concussion group demonstrated slower clinical drop stick (ß = 58.8; 95% CI = 29.2, 88.3; P < .001) and dual-task Stroop (ß = 464.2; 95% CI = 318.4, 610.0; P < .001) RT measures at the initial assessment than the uninjured control group. At 1-month follow up, the concussion group displayed slower clinical drop stick (238.9 ± 25.9 versus 188.1 ± 21.7 milliseconds; P < .001; d = 2.10), single-task Stroop (1527.8 ± 204.5 versus 1319.8 ± 133.5 milliseconds; P = .001; d = 1.20), and dual-task Stroop (1549.9 ± 264.7 versus 1341.5 ± 114.7 milliseconds; P = .002; d = 1.04) RT than the control group, respectively, while symptom severity was similar between groups (7.4 ± 11.2 versus 5.3 ± 6.5; P = .44; d = 0.24). Classification accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) values were highest for the clinical drop stick (85.1% accuracy, AUC = 0.86, P < .001) and dual-task Stroop (87.2% accuracy, AUC = 0.92, P < .002) RT variables at initial evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents recovering from concussion may have initial RT deficits that persist despite symptom recovery. The clinical drop stick and dual-task Stroop RT measures demonstrated high clinical utility given high classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity to detect postconcussion RT deficits and may be considered for initial and RTP assessment.

Graves'-induced prothrombotic state and the risk of early-onset myocardial infarction.

Hyperthyroidism represents a state of hypercoagulability and hypofibrinolysis, which predisposes an individual to the increased risk of thromboembolism. We present a case of a 25-year-old patient presenting with an acute myocardial infarction secondary to plaque rupture with thrombotic occlusion of proximal left anterior descending artery, in a patient known to have Graves' disease. She had a sudden ventricular fibrillation arrest and a precordial thump given and cardiopulmonary resuscitation started. She successfully underwent cardiac catheterisation. Subsequent thyroid function tests showed she was in active thyrotoxicosis.

Laparoscopic versus open appendicectomy in children: a UK District General Hospital experience.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of laparoscopic appendicectomy in reducing morbidity and length of stay in children compared to open procedures in a UK District General Hospital setting. METHODS: A three-year retrospective review of children ≤ 15 years with histologically confirmed appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic (LA) and/or open (OA) appendicectomy was performed. Choice of operation was based on individual surgeon's preference and on patient's body size. Data collected included rate of histologically complicated appendicitis, post-operative length of stay (LOS), and collective and differential morbidity rates, i.e., wound infection, intra-abdominal collection, and ileus. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 was regarded as significant. RESULTS: Eighty children (70% male) were identified at median age 11 (3-15) years. They could be divided into complicated (n=18, 22%) and simple appendicitis (n=62, 78%). Appendicectomy was performed in all as an OPEN (n=53, 66%) or LAPAROSCOPIC (n=27, 34%) procedure. Both groups were comparable in gender distribution (P=0.11) and rate of complicated appendicitis (30% vs. 19%, respectively; P=0.27). Median age was significantly lower in the OPEN group [10 (3-15) vs. 12 (7-15) years; P<0.004]. Laparoscopic appendicectomy had a significantly lower rate of collective morbidity (3.8% vs. 25.9%; P<0.003), including lower rate of intra-abdominal collection (1.9% vs. 14.8%; P<0.01). Median LOS was not significantly different (1 day vs. 2 days; P=0.14). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic appendicectomy in children in a UK District General Hospital is safe and was associated with significantly less post-operative morbidity than the open technique.