CONNECTing Concussion Care with Research Across Ontario.

Common data elements (CDEs) for concussion, as established by international bodies, are not being widely used in Ontario, resulting in significant variability in the data being assessed and collected across clinics. CDEs support standardization of care as well as large-scale data sharing for high impact research. A collaborative network - Concussion Ontario Network: Neuroinformatics to Enhance Clinical care and Translation (CONNECT) - comprised of health care professionals, researchers, members from advocacy groups, and patients was formed to establish and implement CDEs for concussion care and research. While the seeds have been planted and initial effectiveness demonstrated, future challenges exist.

Characterizing the profiles of patients with acute concussion versus prolonged post-concussion symptoms in Ontario.

Identifying vulnerability factors for developing persisting concussion symptoms is imperative for determining which patients may require specialized treatment. Using cross-sectional questionnaire data from an Ontario-wide observational concussion study, we compared patients with acute concussion (≤ 14 days) and prolonged post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) (≥ 90 days) on four factors of interest: sex, history of mental health disorders, history of headaches/migraines, and past concussions. Differences in profile between the two groups were also explored. 110 patients with acute concussion and 96 patients with PPCS were included in our study. The groups did not differ on the four factors of interest. Interestingly, both groups had greater proportions of females (acute concussion: 61.1% F; PPCS: 66.3% F). Patient profiles, however, differed wherein patients with PPCS were significantly older, more symptomatic, more likely to have been injured in a transportation-related incident, and more likely to live outside a Metropolitan city. These novel risk factors for persisting concussion symptoms require replication and highlight the need to re-evaluate previously identified risk factors as more and more concussions occur in non-athletes and different risk factors may be at play.

Enhanced education for adult patients with persistent post-concussion headaches: a randomized controlled trial.

Aim & Patients: We conducted a randomized clinical trial to determine if an e-learning intervention can enhance recovery in adult patients with persistent post-concussion headaches (PPCH). Materials & Methods: The intervention consisted of three e-learning modules administered at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Data were collected on symptoms, community integration, quality of life and healthcare utilization at baseline and 12-week follow-up. ANCOVA was conducted to compare changes. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed on symptoms although we observed a trend toward reduced healthcare utilization and improved quality of life in the intervention group. Conclusion: E-learning modules for patients experiencing PPCH warrant further investigation with data on participant compliance and measures focusing on simpler short-term outcomes.Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03391583 (ClinicalTrials.gov).