Association of Multidomain Assessment Outcomes With Referral for Vestibular Therapy After Concussion.

CONTEXT: Multiple aspects of a multidomain assessment have been validated for identifying concussion; however, researchers have yet to determine which components are related to referral for vestibular therapy. OBJECTIVE: To identify which variables from a multidomain assessment were associated with receiving a referral for vestibular therapy after a concussion. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review, level of evidence 3. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Participants (n = 331; age = 16.9 ± 7.2 years; 39.3% female) were diagnosed with a concussion per international consensus criteria by a clinical neuropsychologist after presenting to a concussion specialty clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Medical chart data were extracted from the first clinical visit regarding preinjury medical history, computerized neurocognition, Post-Concussion Symptom Scale, Concussion Clinical Profiles Screen, and Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening within 16.2 ± 46.7 days of injury. We built 5 backwards logistic regression models to associate the outcomes from each of the 5 assessments with referral for vestibular therapy. A final logistic regression model was generated using variables retained in the previous 5 models as potential predictors of referral for vestibular therapy. RESULTS: The 5 models built from individual components of the multidomain assessment predicted referral for vestibular therapy (R2 = 0.01-0.28) with 1 to 6 statistically significant variables. The final multivariate model (R2 = 0.40) retained 9 significant variables, represented by each of the 5 multidomain assessments except neurocognition. Variables that had the strongest association with vestibular therapy referral were motor vehicle accident mechanism of injury (odds ratio [OR] = 15.45), migraine history (OR = 3.25), increased headache when concentrating (OR = 1.81), and horizontal vestibular ocular reflex (OR = 1.63). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the utility of a multidomain assessment and identified outcomes associated with a referral for vestibular therapy after a concussion.

Getting a jump on recovery from sports-related concussion.

Early subthreshold aerobic exercise safely improved recovery time over a stretching regimen among adolescents in this clinical trial.

Concussion Referral and Practice Patterns by Pediatric Emergency Medicine Providers.

OBJECTIVES: Concussion is a commonly encountered diagnosis for pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) providers, yet little is known regarding referral patterns to specialists. Our goal was to assess PEM providers' referral patterns and current usage of standardized evaluation tools. METHODS: This study was conducted as cross-sectional survey of PEM providers recruited from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine Listserv. Surveys were distributed at 3 time points between December 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, and included multiple choice, Likert scale, and free text questions. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to describe the sample and compare responses between those with variable experience and confidence in concussion management. RESULTS: In total, 162 of 491 Listserv members (33.0%) completed the survey. The factors most often reported to assist in referral decisions were history of severe (92.6%) or multiple (90.7%) prior concussions, prolonged symptom duration (89.5%), and severity of current symptoms (84.6%). Most providers reported having large experience (63.0%) and confidence (54.9%) in managing concussion. Standardized symptom scales (8.0%), vestibular (11.7%) and balance assessments (13.0%), and prognostic tools (6.8%) were infrequently used. Most (64.2%) providers felt specialty referral was important. More than 80% reported high likelihood to use an accurate risk stratification tool to facilitate referral. CONCLUSIONS: Although most PEM providers reported significant experience and confidence in managing pediatric concussion, standardized assessment tools were infrequently used. Most were likely to use a risk stratification tool to assist in specialty referral. Future studies should assess the ability of targeted referral strategies to improve recovery for concussed youth.

Creatine Supplementation and Brain Health.

There is a robust and compelling body of evidence supporting the ergogenic and therapeutic role of creatine supplementation in muscle. Beyond these well-described effects and mechanisms, there is literature to suggest that creatine may also be beneficial to brain health (e.g., cognitive processing, brain function, and recovery from trauma). This is a growing field of research, and the purpose of this short review is to provide an update on the effects of creatine supplementation on brain health in humans. There is a potential for creatine supplementation to improve cognitive processing, especially in conditions characterized by brain creatine deficits, which could be induced by acute stressors (e.g., exercise, sleep deprivation) or chronic, pathologic conditions (e.g., creatine synthesis enzyme deficiencies, mild traumatic brain injury, aging, Alzheimer's disease, depression). Despite this, the optimal creatine protocol able to increase brain creatine levels is still to be determined. Similarly, supplementation studies concomitantly assessing brain creatine and cognitive function are needed. Collectively, data available are promising and future research in the area is warranted.

Concussion in the emergency department: a review of current guidelines

The annual number of emergency department (ED) visits for traumatic brain injury (TBI) is rising in the United States, with the majority of these visits resulting in a diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion. There are limited data to support objective clinical measures to guide the management of concussion, but several guidelines have been published that provide recommendations for evaluation and management of concussion and mTBI. This supplement provides a summary of 2 recently published, consensus-based guidelines and discusses practical aspects of ED management of patients with concussive injuries, including the initial evaluation, diagnostic criteria, assessment tools, and aftercare recommendations.

Sport-related Concussion Clinical Profiles: Clinical Characteristics, Targeted Treatments, and Preliminary Evidence.

Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a heterogeneous injury that involves varied symptoms and impairment that presents a significant clinical challenge to sports medicine professionals. In response to this challenge, clinical researchers have proposed clinical profiles or subtype models for assessing and treating athletes with SRC. One such model emphasizes five concussion clinical profiles including cognitive/fatigue, vestibular, ocular, migraine, and anxiety/mood. Sleep is a common modifier that co-occurs across these clinical profiles. A combination of medical history, risk factors, injury information, clinical characteristics, and assessment outcomes can inform each clinical profile. Preliminary data involving 236 patients from a concussion specialty clinic indicate that the migraine (26%) and anxiety/mood (24%) profiles are the most common, with vestibular and ocular profiles combined representing more than one third (35%) of clinical profiles. Findings also support several relationships among different clinical profiles including vestibular and migraine, suggesting that many athletes present with multiple clinical profiles. Targeted, active treatments for each profile are discussed.

Postconcussion Academic Support in Children Who Attend a Primary Care Provider Follow-up Visit after Presenting to the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether a primary care provider (PCP) follow-up visit after emergency department evaluation of concussion improved the children's likelihood of receiving academic support. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. Concussed children, aged 8-18 years, presenting to a regional pediatric trauma center emergency department (n = 160) were contacted 7 and 30 days after injury to gather data on PCP follow-up, symptoms, quality of life, and receipt of academic support instituted after and because of the concussion. Bivariate comparisons of demographics, concussion characteristics, quality of life, and symptoms were made between children who did and did not receive support using independent samples t tests, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, or χ2 tests. ORs and 95% CIs were calculated using multivariable logistic regression with backwards elimination to test the association between attending an outpatient follow-up visit and the receipt of academic support for variables where P < .2 in bivariate comparisons. RESULTS: Overall, 51.3% (n = 82) received academic support; of these, 84.2% attended a follow-up visit compared with 71.8% of 78 children who attended a follow-up visit but did not receive support (P = .06). Children who received support were more likely to have commercial insurance; experience a sports-related injury mechanism; have parents whose primary language was English; suffer from learning disabilities and migraines; and be non-Hispanic (P < .05). There was no association between attending a follow-up visit and receipt of academic support (adjusted OR 1.83; 95% CI 0.75-4.45). CONCLUSIONS: Although the majority of children received academic support postconcussion, accommodations were associated with several demographic, medical history, and injury characteristics, but not attending a PCP follow-up visit.

Initial Emergency Department Visit and Follow-Up Care for Concussions among Children with Medicaid.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the rates and patterns of initial emergency department (ED) encounters and follow-up care for concussions among Medicaid-insured children before and after the 2013 enactment of Ohio concussion law. STUDY DESIGN: Using a time-series design, this study analyzed concussion claim data obtained from Partners for Kids, a pediatric accountable-care organization in Ohio. A total of 12 512 concussions and 48 238 associated claims for services between January 1, 2008, and June 30, 2017, with an initial ED encounter among Medicaid-insured children (ages 0-18 years) were analyzed. The effect of the law on the odds of follow-up care were assessed using generalized estimating equations models, adjusted for sex, age group, and residence location. RESULTS: Of the total 12 512 concussions, 63.9% occurred in male patients, 70.1% in patients ages 10-18 years, and 65.2% in patients from urban areas. The rate of initial ED encounters for concussions increased from 2008 to 2014 (2.8 to 4.9 per 10 000 members), followed by a decrease in 2016 (4.2 per 10 000 members). A significant increase in follow-up care after the initial ED encounter was observed from pre-law to post-law (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.61, 1.86). A shift in follow-up care was observed from radiology and ambulance services in pre-law to primary care providers in post-law. CONCLUSIONS: The Ohio concussion law may have influenced the patterns of initial ED visit and follow-up care for concussions among Medicaid-insured children. Future studies evaluating the impact of the law should analyze the utilization patterns among children with various insurance/payment types.

First Guidelines for Diagnosing and Managing Concussion in Kids.

The CDC addresses a common and significant health concern.

Annual Trends in Follow-Up Visits for Pediatric Concussion in Emergency Departments and Physicians' Offices.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether children and youth with concussion receive follow-up visits in accordance with the recommended guidelines. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective, population-based study using linked health administrative data from all concussion-related visits to emergency department and physician offices by children aged 5 through 18 years (range, 5.00-18.99) in Ontario between 2003 and 2013. We analyzed the percentage of children and youth seen for follow-up. The Mann-Kendall test for trends was used to assess a monotonic increasing trend over time in concussion follow-up visits. RESULTS: A total of 126 654 children and youth were evaluated for an index concussion visit. The number of children and youth assessed for concussion follow-up (N = 45 155) has increased significantly over time (P < .001). In 2003, 781 of 7126 patients (11.0%; 95% CI, 10.3-11.7) with an index visit for concussion had a follow-up assessment. By 2013, 6526 of 21 681 (30.1%; 95% CI, 29.5-30.7) patients received follow-up care. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of children and youth receiving follow-up after an acute concussion has significantly increased between 2003 and 2013. Nevertheless, more than two-thirds of all patients do not seek medical follow-up or clearance as recommended by current concussion guidelines, suggesting that ongoing efforts to improve and monitor compliance with recommended guidelines by patients and physicians are important.

Legal Aspects of Concussion: The Ever-Evolving Standard of Care.

Today, when an athlete is catastrophically injured while playing a sport, litigation often follows. The likelihood of litigation is even greater in the event of a head injury, especially when the athlete can allege that a prior concussion somehow contributed to the current injury. Whether the potential defendants in these lawsuits, such as schools, coaches, athletic trainers, and other health care professionals, actually face legal liability depends on whether they are deemed to have conformed to the standard of care. The standard of care is a legal term, defined as acting as a reasonable professional in that position or industry would have under the circumstances based on then-existing knowledge. In this article, we examine the standard of care with regard to concussion management and treatment in the context of some of the most notable lawsuits in recent years.

The Effectiveness of Prescribed Rest Depends on Initial Presentation After Concussion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if patients with signs of injury respond differently to prescribed rest after concussion compared with patients with symptoms only. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis was completed of a prospective randomized controlled trial (NCT01101724) of pediatric concussion patients aged 11-18 years. Patients completed computerized neurocognitive testing and standardized balance assessment at the emergency department within 24 hours of injury and on follow-up (3 and 10 days). Patients were randomized to rest or usual care and completed activity and symptom diaries for 10 days after injury. A series of 2?×?2 ANOVAs with grouping factors of patient group (symptoms, signs) and treatment arm (prescribed rest, standard of care) were used to examine differences on clinical measures. Univariate nonparametric test (ie, ?2 with ORs and 95% CIs) was used to examine the association between treatment arm and symptom status 1-9 days after injury. RESULTS: A 2?×?2 factorial ANOVA revealed a significant patient group × treatment arm interaction for symptom score at 3 days after injury (F?=?6.31, P?=?.01, ?2?=?0.07). Prescribed rest increased the likelihood of still being symptomatic at days 1-6 and 8 (P?

Quality Improvement in Concussion Care: Influence of Guideline-Based Education.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential impact of a concussion management education program on community-practicing pediatricians. STUDY DESIGN: We prospectively surveyed 210 pediatricians before and 18 months after participation in an evidence-based, concussion education program. Pediatricians were part of a network of 38 clinically integrated practices in metro-Atlanta. Participation was mandatory for at least 1 pediatrician in each practice. We assessed pediatricians' self-reported concussion knowledge, use of guidelines, and comfort level, as well as self-reported referral patterns for computed tomography (CT) and/or emergency department (ED) evaluation of children who sustained concussion. RESULTS: Based on responses from 120 pediatricians participating in the 2 surveys and intervention (response rate, 57.1%), the program had significant positive effects from pre- to postintervention on knowledge of concussions (-0.26 to 0.56 on -3 to +1 scale; P < .001), guideline use (0.73-.06 on 0-6 scale; P < .01), and comfort level in managing concussions (3.76-4.16 on 1-5 scale; P < .01). Posteducation, pediatricians were significantly less likely to self-report referral for CT (1.64-1.07; P < .001) and CT/ED (4.73-3.97; P < .01), but not ED referral alone (3.07-3.09; P = ns). CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of a multifaceted, evidence-based, education program translated into a positive modification of self-reported practice behavior for youth concussion case management. Given the surging demand for community-based youth concussion care, this program can serve as a model for improving the quality of pediatric concussion management.

Sports-related Concussion in Children and Adolescents.

Concussions are becoming increasingly important to manage properly as sports participation continues to rise. Repeated injuries occurring before the brain has had a chance to recover from an initial insult are particularly dangerous and must be prevented. Although much national media attention has been devoted to concussions in professional sports, it is important to appreciate that athletes in any age group, children and adolescents in particular, are at risk of sports-related concussion. It is crucial to remove an athlete from play any time concussion is suspected. Once removed from play, recovery then begins with a period of cognitive and physical rest, followed by a gradual return to cognitive and athletic activities as symptoms resolve. Children and adolescents pose a unique challenge to the clinician managing their recovery, as the physical and cognitive rest periods required often involve time away from school and sports, which can be academically detrimental and socially isolating. Recently developed sideline assessment tools have greatly aided the urgent sideline assessment of an athlete suspected of having a concussion. In this article, a brief review of current guidelines is presented in tandem with the authors' preferred treatment of concussion.

American pediatric surgical association journal of pediatric surgery lecture.

Every year in the United States, 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions occur secondary to injuries sustained during sports and recreational activities. Major advances have been made in terms of identifying specific clinical profiles following concussion. Nevertheless, there are continued misunderstandings regarding this injury and variable clinical management strategies being employed that may result in protracted recovery periods for youth athletes. Therefore, it is essential that individualized treatment plans target the particular clinical profile(s) present following concussion. Further progress related to management of this injury depends on medical professionals working as part of multidisciplinary teams to provide appropriate education, accurate information, and treatments based on the identified clinical profiles. It is also important for medical professionals of all disciplines to stay vigilant toward future research and practice guidelines given the evolving nature of this injury.

Pediatric Concussion Management in the Emergency Department: A National Survey of Parents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine parental expectations and beliefs about diagnosis and management of pediatric concussion. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of a nationally representative panel of US parents in March 2014. Parents of 10- to 17-year-old children responded to questions about their expectations and beliefs about diagnosis and management of pediatric concussion in the emergency department (ED). Weighted percentages for descriptive statistics were calculated, and χ2 statistics were used for bivariate analysis. RESULTS: Survey participation was 53%, and of 912 parent respondents with a child 10-17 years of age who were presented with a scenario of their child having mild symptoms of concussion, 42% would seek immediate ED care. Parents who would seek immediate ED care for this scenario were more likely than parents who would consult their child's usual provider or wait at home to "definitely expect" imaging (65% vs 21%), definitive diagnosis of concussion (77% vs 61%), a timeline for return to activity (80% vs 60%), and a signed return to play form (55% vs 41%). CONCLUSIONS: Many parents who bring children to the ED following a possible concussion are likely to expect comprehensive and definitive care, including imaging, a definitive diagnosis, a timeline for return to activity, and a signed return to play form. To manage these expectations, healthcare providers should continue to educate parents about the evaluation and management of concussion.

[Direct cost of primary care of mild traumatic brain injury in adults by GRD in third level of care]. / Costo directo de la atención primaria del traumatismo craneoencefálico (TCE) leve en adultos mediante grupos relacionados por el diagnóstico (GRD) en el tercer nivel de atención médica.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the direct cost of primary health care for patients with mild traumatic head injury in a third level medical facility. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study in 219 patients with mild traumatic brain injury (GRD 090 S06.0 ICD-10 including uncomplicated concussion without complication and increased comorbidity). LOCATION: A medical unit of tertiary care in the State of Puebla, Mexico. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Direct costs were taken from ACDO.AS3.HCT.280115 / 7.P.DF Agreement and its annexes in Mexican pesos, the variables analyzed were age, gender, shift attention, laboratory, radiographic and tomographic studies, length of stay, specialist consultations, emergency care, medicines, and treatment materials. Descriptive statistics on SPSS program IBM v22. RESULTS: 53.4% male, 46.6% female; average age 31.9 years; morning shift attention 58.4%, evening 23.3%, and nightly 18.3%. The cost: $ 1,755 laboratory, plain radiographs $ 202,794, tomographic studies $ 26,720, consultation with neurosurgeon $ 279,174, emergency care $ 501,510; curing material: single steri drape $8,326.38, Micropore $1,307.43, infusion equipment $790.59, venipuncture needle $7,408.77; drugs: diclofenac $946.08, Ketorolac $724.89, 1000 ml. intravenous solution $1,561.47, total cost $ 1,032,293.72, average/patient: 4,713.66 Mexican pesos. CONCLUSION: The direct cost of primary health care of patients with mild traumatic head injury is high; sticking to the correct handling decreases the cost of attention.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-concussion Syndrome: Treatment and Related Sequela for Persistent Symptomatic Disease.

Sport-related concussion typically resolves within a few weeks of the injury; however, persistent symptoms have been reported to occur in 10% to 15% of concussions. These ongoing symptoms can cause significant disability and be frustrating for the patient and family. In addition, factors other than brain injury can cause complications for these patients, such as adjustment disorder or exacerbation of preexisting conditions such as depression or migraine. Individuals with prolonged symptoms of concussion may be classified as having post-concussion syndrome. A careful and thoughtful evaluation is important, as the clinician must determine whether these prolonged symptoms reflect brain injury pathophysiology versus another process. Although there have been numerous studies on the acute management of concussion, much less is available on the treatment of persistent disease. This review will provide an evaluation approach for the patient with prolonged concussion symptoms and review recent literature on treatment strategies.

Treatment Perspectives Based on Our Current Understanding of Concussion.

Sports-related concussion also referred to in the literature as mild traumatic brain injury remains a popular area of study for physicians, neurologists, neuropsychologists, neuroimaging, athletic trainers, and researchers across the other areas of brain sciences. Treatment for concussion is an emerging area of focus with investigators seeking to improve outcomes and protect patients from the deleterious short-term and long-term consequences which have been extensively studied and identified. Broadly, current treatment strategies for athletes recovering from concussion have remained largely unchanged since early 2000s. Knowledge of the complex pathophysiology surrounding injury should improve or advance our ability to identify processes which may serve as targets for therapeutic intervention. Clinicians working with athletes recovering from sports-related concussion should have an advanced understanding of the injury cascade and also be aware of the current efforts within the research to treat concussion. In addition, how clinicians use the word "treatment" should be carefully defined and promoted so the patient is aware of the level of intervention and what stage of recovery or healing is being affected by a specific intervention. The purpose of this review is to bring together efforts across disciplines of brain science into 1 platform where clinicians can assimilate this information before making best practices decisions regarding the treatment of patients and athletes under their care.