TY - JOUR
T1 - Emergency department assessment of mild traumatic brain injury and the prediction of postconcussive symptoms
T2 - a 3-month prospective study
AU - Sheedy, Joanne
AU - Harvey, Evelyn
AU - Faux, Steven
AU - Geffen, Gina
AU - Shores, E. Arthur
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of a brief emergency department (ED) bedside screen for the prediction of postconcussive symptoms at 3 months following mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). PARTICIPANTS: One hundred patients with MTBI (78% men; mean age = 33.6 years); 2 control groups (each n = 100), a "minor nonhead injury" group (77% men; mean age = 32.2 years) and an "uninjured ED visitor" group (78% men; mean age = 33.6 years). MAIN MEASURES: Brief measures of neuropsychological functioning, acute pain, and postural stability were collected in the ED; telephone follow-up at 3 months using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire was undertaken. RESULTS: Neuropsychological deficits, acute pain, and postural instability in the ED were significantly associated with postconcussive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. A regression formula using 3 easily obtainable measures obtained during acute stage of injury-immediate and delayed memory for 5 words and a visual analog scale score of acute headache-provided 80% sensitivity and 76% specificity for the prediction of clinically significant symptoms at 3 months postinjury. CONCLUSION: A small combination of variables assessable in the ED may predict MTBI patients likely to experience persistent postconcussive symptoms.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of a brief emergency department (ED) bedside screen for the prediction of postconcussive symptoms at 3 months following mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). PARTICIPANTS: One hundred patients with MTBI (78% men; mean age = 33.6 years); 2 control groups (each n = 100), a "minor nonhead injury" group (77% men; mean age = 32.2 years) and an "uninjured ED visitor" group (78% men; mean age = 33.6 years). MAIN MEASURES: Brief measures of neuropsychological functioning, acute pain, and postural stability were collected in the ED; telephone follow-up at 3 months using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire was undertaken. RESULTS: Neuropsychological deficits, acute pain, and postural instability in the ED were significantly associated with postconcussive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. A regression formula using 3 easily obtainable measures obtained during acute stage of injury-immediate and delayed memory for 5 words and a visual analog scale score of acute headache-provided 80% sensitivity and 76% specificity for the prediction of clinically significant symptoms at 3 months postinjury. CONCLUSION: A small combination of variables assessable in the ED may predict MTBI patients likely to experience persistent postconcussive symptoms.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70350635506&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/HTR.0b013e3181aea51f
DO - 10.1097/HTR.0b013e3181aea51f
M3 - Article
C2 - 19858967
AN - SCOPUS:70350635506
SN - 0885-9701
VL - 24
SP - 333
EP - 343
JO - Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation
JF - Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation
IS - 5
ER -