Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211040921
Basit Shah, Sabrina Poonja, M. Hussain
Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a condition characterized by a sudden, temporary lapse in memory without focal neurological deficits, usually in middle aged adults, sometimes precipitated by an inciting event. We describe a case of a young patient, who presented with a constellation of symptoms consistent with TGA post-concussion with a right temporal lobe hypodensity on CT head. This patient’s memory returned to baseline within 24 hours, with only a mild residual headache which resolved within the next day and no MRI findings 48 hours after, illustrating that his clinical trajectory favours TGA rather than post-concussive amnesia. While the pathophysiology of TGA is still a mystery, clinicians and researchers continue to hypothesize the anatomical basis of this condition.
{"title":"Reversible temporal hypodensity on CT in a patient with minor head injury: Transient global amnesia or contusion?","authors":"Basit Shah, Sabrina Poonja, M. Hussain","doi":"10.1177/20597002211040921","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211040921","url":null,"abstract":"Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a condition characterized by a sudden, temporary lapse in memory without focal neurological deficits, usually in middle aged adults, sometimes precipitated by an inciting event. We describe a case of a young patient, who presented with a constellation of symptoms consistent with TGA post-concussion with a right temporal lobe hypodensity on CT head. This patient’s memory returned to baseline within 24 hours, with only a mild residual headache which resolved within the next day and no MRI findings 48 hours after, illustrating that his clinical trajectory favours TGA rather than post-concussive amnesia. While the pathophysiology of TGA is still a mystery, clinicians and researchers continue to hypothesize the anatomical basis of this condition.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44818983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211006551
Gary Mitchell, Jack Taylor, Gilbert Jin, R. Snelling
Objective A retrospective audit of minor traumatic brain injury presentations to three Brisbane emergency departments aiming to assess rates of CT scans and compliance with the Canadian CT Head Rule (CCTHR), as well as reviewing the demographics of patients and their management. Method Minor traumatic brain injury presentations to the Emergency departments of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital and Queen Elizabeth II Hospital between July 1st and August 30th, 2019 were identified via diagnosis searches in patient tracking systems. Data collected included patient demographics, use of CT scans and Abbreviated Westmead Post Traumatic Amnesia Scale assessment, length of stay and discharge advice regarding return to sport. Results 200 minor traumatic brain injury presentations were included. 75% of patients received a CT head with only 9% of these found to be non-compliant with the CCTHR. The most common indications for CTs were age >65, GCS <15 at 2 hours post injury and anticoagulation. Only 40% of patients that qualified for A-WTPAS received the assessment. 18% of presentations were due to sporting injuries and 69% were not given return to play advice. The average length of stay was 250 minutes with 41.5% of presentations longer than 4 hours. 99% of the patients were discharged home from the ED with 1% admitted. Conclusion The study characterised minor traumatic brain injury management across three emergency departments and showed that most patients received CT head scans that were indicated. However, other areas of management such as A-WPTAs and return to play advice must be improved.
{"title":"A review of minor traumatic brain injury presentations and their management in Brisbane emergency departments","authors":"Gary Mitchell, Jack Taylor, Gilbert Jin, R. Snelling","doi":"10.1177/20597002211006551","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211006551","url":null,"abstract":"Objective A retrospective audit of minor traumatic brain injury presentations to three Brisbane emergency departments aiming to assess rates of CT scans and compliance with the Canadian CT Head Rule (CCTHR), as well as reviewing the demographics of patients and their management. Method Minor traumatic brain injury presentations to the Emergency departments of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital and Queen Elizabeth II Hospital between July 1st and August 30th, 2019 were identified via diagnosis searches in patient tracking systems. Data collected included patient demographics, use of CT scans and Abbreviated Westmead Post Traumatic Amnesia Scale assessment, length of stay and discharge advice regarding return to sport. Results 200 minor traumatic brain injury presentations were included. 75% of patients received a CT head with only 9% of these found to be non-compliant with the CCTHR. The most common indications for CTs were age >65, GCS <15 at 2 hours post injury and anticoagulation. Only 40% of patients that qualified for A-WTPAS received the assessment. 18% of presentations were due to sporting injuries and 69% were not given return to play advice. The average length of stay was 250 minutes with 41.5% of presentations longer than 4 hours. 99% of the patients were discharged home from the ED with 1% admitted. Conclusion The study characterised minor traumatic brain injury management across three emergency departments and showed that most patients received CT head scans that were indicated. However, other areas of management such as A-WPTAs and return to play advice must be improved.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/20597002211006551","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48222524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211004333
A. Jacquin, J. Bazarian, D. Casa, R. Elbin, G. Hotz, David M Schnyer, S. Yeargin, L. Prichep, T. Covassin
Objective Prompt, accurate, objective assessment of concussion is crucial as delays can lead to increased short and long-term consequences. The purpose of this study was to derive an objective multimodal concussion index (CI) using EEG at its core, to identify concussion, and to assess change over time throughout recovery. Methods Male and female concussed (N = 232) and control (N = 206) subjects 13–25 years were enrolled at 12 US colleges and high schools. Evaluations occurred within 72 h of injury, 5 days post-injury, at return-to-play (RTP), 45 days after RTP (RTP + 45); and included EEG, neurocognitive performance, and standard concussion assessments. Concussed subjects had a witnessed head impact, were removed from play for ≥ 5 days using site guidelines, and were divided into those with RTP < 14 or ≥14 days. Part 1 describes the derivation and efficacy of the machine learning derived classifier as a marker of concussion. Part 2 describes significance of differences in CI between groups at each time point and within each group across time points. Results Sensitivity = 84.9%, specificity = 76.0%, and AUC = 0.89 were obtained on a test Hold-Out group representing 20% of the total dataset. EEG features reflecting connectivity between brain regions contributed most to the CI. CI was stable over time in controls. Significant differences in CI between controls and concussed subjects were found at time of injury, with no significant differences at RTP and RTP + 45. Within the concussed, differences in rate of recovery were seen. Conclusions The CI was shown to have high accuracy as a marker of likelihood of concussion. Stability of CI in controls supports reliable interpretation of CI change in concussed subjects. Objective identification of the presence of concussion and assessment of readiness to return to normal activity can be aided by use of the CI, a rapidly obtained, point of care assessment tool.
{"title":"Concussion assessment potentially aided by use of an objective multimodal concussion index","authors":"A. Jacquin, J. Bazarian, D. Casa, R. Elbin, G. Hotz, David M Schnyer, S. Yeargin, L. Prichep, T. Covassin","doi":"10.1177/20597002211004333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211004333","url":null,"abstract":"Objective Prompt, accurate, objective assessment of concussion is crucial as delays can lead to increased short and long-term consequences. The purpose of this study was to derive an objective multimodal concussion index (CI) using EEG at its core, to identify concussion, and to assess change over time throughout recovery. Methods Male and female concussed (N = 232) and control (N = 206) subjects 13–25 years were enrolled at 12 US colleges and high schools. Evaluations occurred within 72 h of injury, 5 days post-injury, at return-to-play (RTP), 45 days after RTP (RTP + 45); and included EEG, neurocognitive performance, and standard concussion assessments. Concussed subjects had a witnessed head impact, were removed from play for ≥ 5 days using site guidelines, and were divided into those with RTP < 14 or ≥14 days. Part 1 describes the derivation and efficacy of the machine learning derived classifier as a marker of concussion. Part 2 describes significance of differences in CI between groups at each time point and within each group across time points. Results Sensitivity = 84.9%, specificity = 76.0%, and AUC = 0.89 were obtained on a test Hold-Out group representing 20% of the total dataset. EEG features reflecting connectivity between brain regions contributed most to the CI. CI was stable over time in controls. Significant differences in CI between controls and concussed subjects were found at time of injury, with no significant differences at RTP and RTP + 45. Within the concussed, differences in rate of recovery were seen. Conclusions The CI was shown to have high accuracy as a marker of likelihood of concussion. Stability of CI in controls supports reliable interpretation of CI change in concussed subjects. Objective identification of the presence of concussion and assessment of readiness to return to normal activity can be aided by use of the CI, a rapidly obtained, point of care assessment tool.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/20597002211004333","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42360649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211015093
Haley M. Chizuk, M. Haider, M. Solomito, R. Kostyun, B. Willer, J. Leddy, David H Wang
Context Sport-related concussions (SRC) are common in student athletes. However, current literature suggests that many athletes do not accurately report their symptoms. The under-reporting of concussion symptoms can result in an increased risk of further injury and an underestimation of concussion prevalence. Objective This study aims to identify perspectives on concussion reporting behaviors in student athletes across levels of contact and by sex. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Elementary and high school, college. Patients or other participants: 1126 female (52%) and male (48%) athletes, mean age 16.6 years. Main outcome measure(s): Standardized questionnaire on concussion reporting during a series of hypothetical scenarios. Results Student athletes participating in sports with higher levels of contact had more education about concussions, yet professed they were less likely to report a concussion. The most common reasons athletes chose not to report were ‘not wanting to miss the game’ and ‘not wanting to let the coach down.’ Minimal differences were found between sexes, with females being just as unlikely, or sometimes more unlikely, to report a concussion than males. Lastly, females playing contact and non-contact sports appear to be more concerned about not wanting to let their coach down than males. Conclusions Although perspective on concussion reporting behavior varied across sports of different levels of contact, we did not find any conclusive evidence of differences in willingness to report a concussion between sexes when compared within the same level of contact.
{"title":"Concussion reporting behaviors in student athletes across sexes and levels of contact","authors":"Haley M. Chizuk, M. Haider, M. Solomito, R. Kostyun, B. Willer, J. Leddy, David H Wang","doi":"10.1177/20597002211015093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211015093","url":null,"abstract":"Context Sport-related concussions (SRC) are common in student athletes. However, current literature suggests that many athletes do not accurately report their symptoms. The under-reporting of concussion symptoms can result in an increased risk of further injury and an underestimation of concussion prevalence. Objective This study aims to identify perspectives on concussion reporting behaviors in student athletes across levels of contact and by sex. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Elementary and high school, college. Patients or other participants: 1126 female (52%) and male (48%) athletes, mean age 16.6 years. Main outcome measure(s): Standardized questionnaire on concussion reporting during a series of hypothetical scenarios. Results Student athletes participating in sports with higher levels of contact had more education about concussions, yet professed they were less likely to report a concussion. The most common reasons athletes chose not to report were ‘not wanting to miss the game’ and ‘not wanting to let the coach down.’ Minimal differences were found between sexes, with females being just as unlikely, or sometimes more unlikely, to report a concussion than males. Lastly, females playing contact and non-contact sports appear to be more concerned about not wanting to let their coach down than males. Conclusions Although perspective on concussion reporting behavior varied across sports of different levels of contact, we did not find any conclusive evidence of differences in willingness to report a concussion between sexes when compared within the same level of contact.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/20597002211015093","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"65509112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211055346
S. Salazar, Femi Oyewole, T. Obi, Rebecca B. Baron, Dylan Mahony, A. Kropelnicki, Adrian Cohen, D. Putrino, Adam Fry
Background There is a need for objective biomarkers of sports-related concussion that are unaffected by physical and cognitive exertion. Electroencephalography-based biomarkers such as steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) have been proposed as one such biomarker. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive and physical exertion on SSVEP signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Methods This study involved two experiments. The first experiment was performed in a controlled laboratory environment and involved a treadmill run designed to induce physical fatigue and a Stroop task designed to induce mental fatigue, completed in a randomized order on two separate visits. SSVEPs were evoked using a 15-Hz strobe using a Nurochek headset before and after each task. Changes in the 15-Hz SSVEP SNR and self-reported fatigue (visual analog scales) were assessed. In the second experiment, SSVEP SNR was measured before and after real-world boxing matches. Paired t-tests compared pre- and post-task SSVEP SNR and fatigue scores. Results Eighteen participants were recruited for experiment 1. Following the treadmill run, participants reported higher physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and overall fatigue (p ≤ 0.005; d ≥ 0.90). Following the Stroop task, participants reported higher mental fatigue and overall fatigue (p < 0.001; d ≥ 1.16), but not physical fatigue. SSVEP SNR scores were unchanged following either the Stroop task (p = 0.059) or the treadmill task (p = 0.590). Seven participants were recruited for experiment 2. SSVEP SNR scores were unchanged following the boxing matches (p = 0.967). Conclusions The results of both experiments demonstrate that SSVEP SNR scores were not different following the treadmill run, Stroop task or amateur boxing match. These findings provide preliminary evidence that SSVEP fidelity may not be significantly affected by physical and cognitive exertion paradigms.
{"title":"Steady-state visual evoked potentials are unchanged following physical and cognitive exertion paradigms","authors":"S. Salazar, Femi Oyewole, T. Obi, Rebecca B. Baron, Dylan Mahony, A. Kropelnicki, Adrian Cohen, D. Putrino, Adam Fry","doi":"10.1177/20597002211055346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211055346","url":null,"abstract":"Background There is a need for objective biomarkers of sports-related concussion that are unaffected by physical and cognitive exertion. Electroencephalography-based biomarkers such as steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) have been proposed as one such biomarker. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive and physical exertion on SSVEP signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Methods This study involved two experiments. The first experiment was performed in a controlled laboratory environment and involved a treadmill run designed to induce physical fatigue and a Stroop task designed to induce mental fatigue, completed in a randomized order on two separate visits. SSVEPs were evoked using a 15-Hz strobe using a Nurochek headset before and after each task. Changes in the 15-Hz SSVEP SNR and self-reported fatigue (visual analog scales) were assessed. In the second experiment, SSVEP SNR was measured before and after real-world boxing matches. Paired t-tests compared pre- and post-task SSVEP SNR and fatigue scores. Results Eighteen participants were recruited for experiment 1. Following the treadmill run, participants reported higher physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and overall fatigue (p ≤ 0.005; d ≥ 0.90). Following the Stroop task, participants reported higher mental fatigue and overall fatigue (p < 0.001; d ≥ 1.16), but not physical fatigue. SSVEP SNR scores were unchanged following either the Stroop task (p = 0.059) or the treadmill task (p = 0.590). Seven participants were recruited for experiment 2. SSVEP SNR scores were unchanged following the boxing matches (p = 0.967). Conclusions The results of both experiments demonstrate that SSVEP SNR scores were not different following the treadmill run, Stroop task or amateur boxing match. These findings provide preliminary evidence that SSVEP fidelity may not be significantly affected by physical and cognitive exertion paradigms.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42598820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/2059700220969535
A. Grool, C. DeMatteo, N. Reed, D. Newhook, R. Zemek
Background Past research on paediatric concussion awareness, management, impact and outcome priorities has focused on health care professionals and sports organizations, yet little is known about patient, parent and educator perspectives. Methods To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews with three participant groups: patient-participants including children with acute or chronic concussion; parent-participants including caregivers of children at risk for or with history of concussion; and educator-participants including teachers and athletic coaches from three Ontario secondary schools. We designed our interview guide to elicit participants’ perspectives across four domains: concussion awareness, concussion experience, support and resources, and outcome priorities. We analyzed our resultant data using a qualitative content analysis approach. Results Nine paediatric patient-participants, 17 parent-participants, and 14 educator-participants completed the study. Participants described concussion as a serious health concern and attributed greater concussion awareness to increased media attention and concussion protocol implementation within schools/sports. While most educator-participants regarded concussion protocols positively, some feared student manipulation. Parent- and educator-participants desired consistent information and resources from reliable sources. The impact of concussion ranged from a few days to prolonged absences (from school, sports, and socializing) and necessitated accommodations in both academic and sport settings. Short-term problems (e.g., decreased peer-contact) primarily troubled patient-participants, whereas long-term problems (e.g., impaired academics, psychological stress) concerned parent and educator groups. Conclusion Patients, parents and educators worry about the consequences of paediatric concussion. Initial concussion recovery in youth should focus on a timely return to academics and on minimizing social isolation by ensuring peer-contact during recovery.
{"title":"Patient, parent and educator perspectives on paediatric concussion","authors":"A. Grool, C. DeMatteo, N. Reed, D. Newhook, R. Zemek","doi":"10.1177/2059700220969535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2059700220969535","url":null,"abstract":"Background Past research on paediatric concussion awareness, management, impact and outcome priorities has focused on health care professionals and sports organizations, yet little is known about patient, parent and educator perspectives. Methods To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews with three participant groups: patient-participants including children with acute or chronic concussion; parent-participants including caregivers of children at risk for or with history of concussion; and educator-participants including teachers and athletic coaches from three Ontario secondary schools. We designed our interview guide to elicit participants’ perspectives across four domains: concussion awareness, concussion experience, support and resources, and outcome priorities. We analyzed our resultant data using a qualitative content analysis approach. Results Nine paediatric patient-participants, 17 parent-participants, and 14 educator-participants completed the study. Participants described concussion as a serious health concern and attributed greater concussion awareness to increased media attention and concussion protocol implementation within schools/sports. While most educator-participants regarded concussion protocols positively, some feared student manipulation. Parent- and educator-participants desired consistent information and resources from reliable sources. The impact of concussion ranged from a few days to prolonged absences (from school, sports, and socializing) and necessitated accommodations in both academic and sport settings. Short-term problems (e.g., decreased peer-contact) primarily troubled patient-participants, whereas long-term problems (e.g., impaired academics, psychological stress) concerned parent and educator groups. Conclusion Patients, parents and educators worry about the consequences of paediatric concussion. Initial concussion recovery in youth should focus on a timely return to academics and on minimizing social isolation by ensuring peer-contact during recovery.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46564742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211024447
K. Falla, Sarah Randall, C. DeMatteo
Objectives There are two objectives for this paper. First, to determine effects of a concussion education program in a local school board in terms of concussion-specific knowledge in children and confidence in identifying and managing concussion in adults. Second, to identify differences and similarities in concussion knowledge between children who participate in sports and those who do not and between children with a history of one or more concussions and those without. Design A cross sectional survey regarding concussion knowledge was distributed randomly to students and adults at both pre- and posteducation timepoints. A concussion education program was disseminated across the school board for students between the distribution survey timepoints. Following the education program, adults and students completed their respective post-test surveys. Chi-squared tests in SPSS determined the significance of between-group differences. Results All 17 adults (100.0%) who had received concussion education recently reported confidence in their knowledge of concussion management, compared to 35.7% adults who had not received education for over a year (p = 0.020). For students, all of whom completed the concussion education training between the pre- and post-tests, there were no significant differences in concussion knowledge scores between athletes and non-athletes (either in or outside of school) or between those with a history of concussion and those without. There were no significant changes in concussion knowledge between the pre- and post-tests, except for one question. Conclusion Concussion education programs increase confidence of concussion management protocols in adults involved in sport, but they require improvements to better support knowledge amelioration, particularly for target groups that are at high risk of sustaining another injury.
{"title":"Brain smart – Let's play safely: Evaluation of a concussion education program in schools","authors":"K. Falla, Sarah Randall, C. DeMatteo","doi":"10.1177/20597002211024447","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211024447","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives There are two objectives for this paper. First, to determine effects of a concussion education program in a local school board in terms of concussion-specific knowledge in children and confidence in identifying and managing concussion in adults. Second, to identify differences and similarities in concussion knowledge between children who participate in sports and those who do not and between children with a history of one or more concussions and those without. Design A cross sectional survey regarding concussion knowledge was distributed randomly to students and adults at both pre- and posteducation timepoints. A concussion education program was disseminated across the school board for students between the distribution survey timepoints. Following the education program, adults and students completed their respective post-test surveys. Chi-squared tests in SPSS determined the significance of between-group differences. Results All 17 adults (100.0%) who had received concussion education recently reported confidence in their knowledge of concussion management, compared to 35.7% adults who had not received education for over a year (p = 0.020). For students, all of whom completed the concussion education training between the pre- and post-tests, there were no significant differences in concussion knowledge scores between athletes and non-athletes (either in or outside of school) or between those with a history of concussion and those without. There were no significant changes in concussion knowledge between the pre- and post-tests, except for one question. Conclusion Concussion education programs increase confidence of concussion management protocols in adults involved in sport, but they require improvements to better support knowledge amelioration, particularly for target groups that are at high risk of sustaining another injury.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/20597002211024447","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49637289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211020896
R. Moser, P. Schatz, B. Mayer, S. Friedman, Melissa Perkins, Christina Zebrowski, Siffat Islam, H. Lemke, M. James, P. Vidal
Objective To determine if there are differences in post-concussion symptom levels depending on 1) when physical therapy treatment is begun after the concussion and 2) the length of treatment. Method Retrospective chart review yielded 202 patients who sustained concussions and were referred for physical therapy. Participants/patients were assigned to independent groups based on time elapsed between concussion and physical therapy (0–14, 15–30, 31–60, 61–120, 121–365 days), and on months spent in treatment (1–4). Pre- and post- treatment scores were documented for the following measures: Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), and Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB) using ANOVAs, with a Bonferroni-corrected p-value of p < .005. Results All patients demonstrated improvements with treatment, with no significant differences in outcomes for time elapsed since injury (SCAT Symptom Score (p = .80), SCAT Symptom Severity Score (p = .97), CISS (p = .61), DHI (p = .65), mCTSIB (p = .13)); or for months in treatment (SCAT Symptom Score (p = .23), SCAT Symptom Severity Score (p = .04), CISS (p = .41), DHI (p = .37), mCTSIB (p = .50)). Conclusions Improvements were similar for all patients receiving post-concussive physical therapy, regardless of time between injury and treatment onset, and regardless of time spent in treatment. These results may have implications for clinical decision-making and for third party payors’ coverage of post-concussion treatment. Longer periods of treatment may not necessarily be of greater benefit and application of treatment if delayed may also be beneficial. Limitations to the study, such as its retrospective nature, lack of randomization, and convenience sample size are discussed.
{"title":"Does time since injury and duration matter in the benefits of physical therapy treatment for concussion?","authors":"R. Moser, P. Schatz, B. Mayer, S. Friedman, Melissa Perkins, Christina Zebrowski, Siffat Islam, H. Lemke, M. James, P. Vidal","doi":"10.1177/20597002211020896","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211020896","url":null,"abstract":"Objective To determine if there are differences in post-concussion symptom levels depending on 1) when physical therapy treatment is begun after the concussion and 2) the length of treatment. Method Retrospective chart review yielded 202 patients who sustained concussions and were referred for physical therapy. Participants/patients were assigned to independent groups based on time elapsed between concussion and physical therapy (0–14, 15–30, 31–60, 61–120, 121–365 days), and on months spent in treatment (1–4). Pre- and post- treatment scores were documented for the following measures: Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), and Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB) using ANOVAs, with a Bonferroni-corrected p-value of p < .005. Results All patients demonstrated improvements with treatment, with no significant differences in outcomes for time elapsed since injury (SCAT Symptom Score (p = .80), SCAT Symptom Severity Score (p = .97), CISS (p = .61), DHI (p = .65), mCTSIB (p = .13)); or for months in treatment (SCAT Symptom Score (p = .23), SCAT Symptom Severity Score (p = .04), CISS (p = .41), DHI (p = .37), mCTSIB (p = .50)). Conclusions Improvements were similar for all patients receiving post-concussive physical therapy, regardless of time between injury and treatment onset, and regardless of time spent in treatment. These results may have implications for clinical decision-making and for third party payors’ coverage of post-concussion treatment. Longer periods of treatment may not necessarily be of greater benefit and application of treatment if delayed may also be beneficial. Limitations to the study, such as its retrospective nature, lack of randomization, and convenience sample size are discussed.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/20597002211020896","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46594757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211058894
G. Kosziwka, L. Champoux, J. Cournoyer, M. Gilchrist, T. Hoshizaki
Head injuries are a major health concern for sport participants as 90% of emergency department visits for sport-related brain injuries are concussion related.1 Recently, reports have shown a higher incidence of sport-related concussion in female athletes compared to males.3 Few studies have described the events by which concussions occur in women's hockey,2,7,8 however a biomechanical analysis of the risk of concussion has not yet been conducted. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the highest risk concussive events in elite women's hockey and characterize these events through reconstructions to identify the associated levels of peak linear and angular acceleration and strain from finite element analysis. 44 head impact events were gathered from elite women's hockey game video and analyzed for impact event, location and velocity. In total, 27 distinct events based on impact event, location and velocity were reconstructed using a hybrid III headform and various testing setups to obtain dynamic response and brain tissue response. A three-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine the influence of event, location and velocity. The results of this study show that head- to-ice impacts resulted in significantly higher responses compared to shoulder-to- head collisions and head-to boards impacts however, shoulder and boards impacts were more frequent. All events produced responses comparable to proposed concussion threshold values.21 This research demonstrates the importance of considering the event, the impact characteristics, the magnitude of response, and the frequency of these impacts when attempting to capture the short and long term risks of brain trauma in women's hockey.
{"title":"Risk of head injury associated with distinct head impact events in elite women's hockey","authors":"G. Kosziwka, L. Champoux, J. Cournoyer, M. Gilchrist, T. Hoshizaki","doi":"10.1177/20597002211058894","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211058894","url":null,"abstract":"Head injuries are a major health concern for sport participants as 90% of emergency department visits for sport-related brain injuries are concussion related.1 Recently, reports have shown a higher incidence of sport-related concussion in female athletes compared to males.3 Few studies have described the events by which concussions occur in women's hockey,2,7,8 however a biomechanical analysis of the risk of concussion has not yet been conducted. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the highest risk concussive events in elite women's hockey and characterize these events through reconstructions to identify the associated levels of peak linear and angular acceleration and strain from finite element analysis. 44 head impact events were gathered from elite women's hockey game video and analyzed for impact event, location and velocity. In total, 27 distinct events based on impact event, location and velocity were reconstructed using a hybrid III headform and various testing setups to obtain dynamic response and brain tissue response. A three-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine the influence of event, location and velocity. The results of this study show that head- to-ice impacts resulted in significantly higher responses compared to shoulder-to- head collisions and head-to boards impacts however, shoulder and boards impacts were more frequent. All events produced responses comparable to proposed concussion threshold values.21 This research demonstrates the importance of considering the event, the impact characteristics, the magnitude of response, and the frequency of these impacts when attempting to capture the short and long term risks of brain trauma in women's hockey.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43177956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/20597002211018063
Susan M. Linder, Aaron Lear, Joseph Linder, Adam Lake, Corey Brier, Morgan McGrath, Jason Cruickshank, Richard A. Figler, J. Alberts
Introduction A multi-domain approach to concussion assessment has been recommended that includes self-reported symptom severity in addition to neurocognitive tests and measures of postural stability. The relationship between subjective self-reported symptoms and objective measures of cognitive function in the post-injury state is not well understood. The aims of the study were to determine symptom severity throughout the post-injury continuum of care and the association between symptom severity and performance on measures of neurocognitive function. Methods An observational cohort study was conducted on 1257 high school and collegiate athletes (67% male and 33% female) who had sustained a concussion. Student-athletes were included in the study if they had a healthy baseline assessment and at least one follow-up injury assessment utilizing the Cleveland Clinic Concussion Application (C3 App). Symptom severity was assessed during the acute (0–7 days post-injury), subacute (8–20 days post-injury), and post-concussive (≥21 days post-injury) phases. Neurocognitive performance was assessed using the following measures: Simple Reaction Time (SRT), Choice Reaction Time (CRT), Processing Speed Test (PST), Trail Making Test A (TMT-A), and Trail Making Test B (TMT-B). To determine the relationship between symptom severity and neurocognitive test performance, athletes were stratified into two groups for comparison: symptom score ≤7 or >7, utilizing the 27-item graded symptom checklist within the C3 App. Neurocognitive performance was analyzed with separate linear mixed effect models for each module to compare within-phase differences. Significance for each module at each phase was tested at P < .05 and adjusted for multiple comparisons. Results Median symptom severity during the acute post-injury phase was 10 declining to 2 during the subacute and post-concussive phases. Performance on each of the C3 App modules (SRT, CRT, PST, Trails A, and Trails B) were significantly better in athletes reporting a symptom score of ≤7 compared to those reporting a symptom score >7 at each of the post-injury phases (P < 0.05 on all comparisons). Conclusions Symptomatic athletes performed worse on all measures of neurocognitive function, regardless of time from injury. While symptoms alone should not be used to determine recovery, our data indicate that symptom severity may aide in deciding when to initiate post-injury neurocognitive testing to determine readiness for treatment progression.
{"title":"Symptom recovery and the relationship between post-injury symptom scores and neurocognitive performance in athletes with sport-related concussion","authors":"Susan M. Linder, Aaron Lear, Joseph Linder, Adam Lake, Corey Brier, Morgan McGrath, Jason Cruickshank, Richard A. Figler, J. Alberts","doi":"10.1177/20597002211018063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20597002211018063","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction A multi-domain approach to concussion assessment has been recommended that includes self-reported symptom severity in addition to neurocognitive tests and measures of postural stability. The relationship between subjective self-reported symptoms and objective measures of cognitive function in the post-injury state is not well understood. The aims of the study were to determine symptom severity throughout the post-injury continuum of care and the association between symptom severity and performance on measures of neurocognitive function. Methods An observational cohort study was conducted on 1257 high school and collegiate athletes (67% male and 33% female) who had sustained a concussion. Student-athletes were included in the study if they had a healthy baseline assessment and at least one follow-up injury assessment utilizing the Cleveland Clinic Concussion Application (C3 App). Symptom severity was assessed during the acute (0–7 days post-injury), subacute (8–20 days post-injury), and post-concussive (≥21 days post-injury) phases. Neurocognitive performance was assessed using the following measures: Simple Reaction Time (SRT), Choice Reaction Time (CRT), Processing Speed Test (PST), Trail Making Test A (TMT-A), and Trail Making Test B (TMT-B). To determine the relationship between symptom severity and neurocognitive test performance, athletes were stratified into two groups for comparison: symptom score ≤7 or >7, utilizing the 27-item graded symptom checklist within the C3 App. Neurocognitive performance was analyzed with separate linear mixed effect models for each module to compare within-phase differences. Significance for each module at each phase was tested at P < .05 and adjusted for multiple comparisons. Results Median symptom severity during the acute post-injury phase was 10 declining to 2 during the subacute and post-concussive phases. Performance on each of the C3 App modules (SRT, CRT, PST, Trails A, and Trails B) were significantly better in athletes reporting a symptom score of ≤7 compared to those reporting a symptom score >7 at each of the post-injury phases (P < 0.05 on all comparisons). Conclusions Symptomatic athletes performed worse on all measures of neurocognitive function, regardless of time from injury. While symptoms alone should not be used to determine recovery, our data indicate that symptom severity may aide in deciding when to initiate post-injury neurocognitive testing to determine readiness for treatment progression.","PeriodicalId":92541,"journal":{"name":"Journal of concussion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/20597002211018063","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47268959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}