Prevalence of and risk factors for poor functioning after isolated mild traumatic brain injury in children

Predicting Recovery After Concussion in Pediatric Patients: A Meta-Analysis

CONTEXT

Prognostic prediction models (PPMs) can help clinicians predict outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To critically examine peer-reviewed PPMs predicting delayed recovery among pediatric patients with concussion.

DATA SOURCES

Ovid Medline, Embase, Ovid PsycInfo, Web of Science Core Collection, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar.

STUDY SELECTION

The study had to report a PPM for pediatric patients to be used within 28 days of injury to estimate risk of delayed recovery at 28 days to 1 year postinjury. Studies had to have at least 30 participants.

DATA EXTRACTION

The Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modeling Studies checklist was completed.

RESULTS

Six studies of 13 PPMs were included. These studies primarily reflected male patients in late childhood or early adolescence presenting to an emergency department meeting the Concussion in Sport Group concussion criteria. No study authors used the same outcome definition nor evaluated the clinical utility of a model. All studies demonstrated high risk of bias. Quality of evidence was best for the Predicting and Preventing Postconcussive Problems in Pediatrics (5P) clinical risk score.

LIMITATIONS

No formal PPM Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) process exists.

CONCLUSIONS

The 5P clinical risk score may be considered for clinical use. Rigorous external validations, particularly in other settings, are needed. The remaining PPMs require external validation. Lack of consensus regarding delayed recovery criteria limits these PPMs.

Trajectory of Health-Related Quality of Life Following Pediatric Concussion

OBJECTIVE

To assess changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) across a 12-month period following pediatric concussion and to explore whether psychological factors (ie, preinjury mental health history, current symptoms of anxiety and depression, sleep disturbance, or grit) were associated with HRQOL.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study design using data collected from patients presenting to a specialty care concussion program, with each patient followed for 12 months after initial presentation. Comparison data were collected from nonconcussed controls recruited from the community. A total of 49 concussed patients (median = 15.4 years of age) completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Information Systems Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms short forms, Pediatric Sleep Disturbance forms, and a Short Grit Scale. Mixed effects models explored change in HRQOL across time.

RESULTS

Total HRQOL at initial clinic presentation was significantly lower for concussed adolescents (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory total score mean = 72 [SD = 16]) compared with nonconcussed controls (mean = 88 [SD = 11], P < .001). HRQOL improved in the patients with concussion over a 6-month period after initial assessment with no significant changes thereafter. Preinjury history of anxiety (coefficient = -11.388, CI = -18.49 to -4.28, P < .001), current depressive symptoms (coefficient = -0.317, CI = -0.62 to -0.01, P < .01), and sleep disturbance (coefficient = -0.336, CI = -0.71 to 0.04, P < .05) all predicted lower HRQOL.

CONCLUSIONS

HRQOL is significantly lower in the acute phase of pediatric concussion and steadily improves over the following 6 months. Psychological factors are linked to lower HRQOL and may serve as important indicators of risk for poor outcome.

The Use of Methylphenidate During Inpatient Rehabilitation After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Population Characteristics and Prescribing Patterns

OBJECTIVE

To understand how methylphenidate (MPH) is used in youth with traumatic brain injury (TBI) during inpatient pediatric rehabilitation.

SETTING

Inpatient pediatric rehabilitation.

PARTICIPANTS

In total, 234 children with TBI; 62 of whom received MPH and 172 who did not. Patients were on average 11.6 years of age (range, 2 months to 21 years); 88 of 234 were female; the most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle collision (49%); median (IQR) acute hospital length of stay (LOS) and inpatient rehabilitation LOS were 16 (10-29) and 23 (14-39), respectively; 51 of 234 were in a disorder of consciousness cognitive state at time of inpatient rehabilitation admission.

DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective medical record review.

MAIN MEASURES

Patient demographic data, time to inpatient pediatric rehabilitation admission (TTA), cognitive state, MPH dosing (mg/kg/day).

RESULTS

Patients who received MPH were older (P = .011); TTA was significantly longer in patients who received MPH than those who did not (P =.002). The lowest recorded dose range by weight was 0.05 to 0.89 mg/kg/d, representing an 18-fold difference; the weight-based range for the maximum dose was 0.11 to 0.97 mg/kg/d, a 9-fold difference. Patients in lower cognitive states at admission (P = .001) and at discharge (P = .030) were more likely to receive MPH. Five patients had side effects known to be associated with MPH; no serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

This multicenter study indicates that there is variable use of MPH during acute inpatient rehabilitation for children with TBI. Children who receive MPH tend to be older with lower cognitive states. Dosing practices are likely consistent with underdosing. Clinical indications for MPH use during inpatient pediatric rehabilitation should be better defined. The use of MPH, as well as its combination with other medications and treatments, during inpatient rehabilitation needs to be further explored.

Quality of Life in Youth Soccer Players After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

CONTEXT

Pediatric mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) represent an evolving field of interest in youth athletics. Although most players recover within 4 weeks, some have symptoms that last longer. Little is known about youth health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after mTBI.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize youth HRQoL after soccer-related mTBI and to identify predictors of individual differences in HRQoL recovery.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Youth soccer.

PARTICIPANTS

Soccer players, aged 8 to 17 years, who sustained an mTBI (n = 23) or orthopaedic injury (OI, n = 24) or remained uninjured (n = 23) during a single season.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

We assessed HRQoL via the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, version 4.0, and postconcussive symptoms via the Health and Behavior Index. Serial assessments occurred at 24 to 48 hours, 7 days, 30 days, and 90 days postinjury via telephone interview.

RESULTS

At 7 days postinjury, the mTBI and OI groups had poorer total HRQoL (F2,67 = 11.35, P < .001) than the uninjured control group. At 7 days, the mTBI group had the poorest psychosocial HRQoL, whereas the OI group had the poorest physical HRQoL. Differences between the mTBI and uninjured control groups resolved by 30 days. Within the mTBI group, players with significant postconcussive symptoms at 7 days had poorer total (F1,21 = 23.071, P ≤ .001; F1,21 = 5.798, P = .028), psychosocial (F1,21 = 16.488, P = < .001; F1,21 = 5.050, P = .039), and physical (F1,21 = 21.671, P = < .001; F1,21 = 5.119, P = .038) HRQoL at 7 and 30 days, respectively, than players with minimal symptoms; these differences resolved by 90 days.

CONCLUSIONS

As a group, youth soccer players who sustained mTBI had transient impairments in HRQoL that resolved by 30 days. A subset of players with significant postconcussive symptoms at 7 days postinjury had poorer HRQoL for at least 30 days postinjury than those whose postconcussive symptoms had resolved within a week of injury. This suggests ongoing recovery in this subset at 30 days and the potential utility of HRQoL as a measure of recovery.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries and Risk for Affective and Behavioral Disorders

OBJECTIVES

Recent studies document an association between mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) in children and postinjury psychiatric disorders. However. these studies were subject to limitations in the design, lack of long-term follow-up, and poorly defined psychiatric outcomes. This study determines the incidence and relative risk of postinjury new affective and behavior disorders 4 years after mTBIs.

METHODS

A cohort study of mTBI cases and matched comparisons within an integrated health care system. The mTBI group included patients ≤17 years of age, diagnosed with mTBI from 2000 to 2014 (N = 18 917). Comparisons included 2 unexposed patients (N = 37 834) per each mTBI-exposed patient, randomly selected and matched for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and date of medical visit (reference date to mTBI injury). Outcomes included a diagnosis of affective or behavioral disorders in the 4 years after mTBI or the reference date.

RESULTS

Adjusted risks for affective disorders were significantly higher across the first 3 years after injury for the mTBI group, especially during the second year, with a 34% increase in risk. Adjusted risks for behavioral disorders were significant at years 2 and 4, with up to a 37% increase in risk. The age group with the highest risk for postinjury affective and behavioral disorders was 10- to 13-year-old patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Sustaining an mTBI significantly increased the risks of having a new affective or behavioral disorder up to 4 years after injury. Initial and ongoing screening for affective and behavior disorders following an mTBI can identify persistent conditions that may pose barriers to recovery.

Parental Factors Associated With Recovery After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

While parental factors have been shown to potentially influence recovery after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in children, both the strength and direction of the relationships remain unclear. We performed a systematic review regarding the association between parental factors and recovery after mTBI. PubMed, CINHL, Embase, PsychINFO, Web of Science, ProQuest, Cochrane Central, and Cochrane databases were queried for articles published between September 1, 1970, and September 10, 2022, reporting any parental factor and its association with recovery after mTBI in children younger than 18 years old. The review included both quantitative and qualitative studies published in English. Regarding the directionality of the association, only studies that assessed the effects of parental factors on recovery after mTBI were included. Study quality was assessed using a five-domain scale created by the Cochrane Handbook and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022361609). Of 2050 studies queried, 40 met inclusion criteria, and 38 of 40 studies used quantitative outcome measures. Across 38 studies, 24 unique parental factors and 20 different measures of recovery were identified. The most common parental factors studied were socioeconomic status/income (SES; n = 16 studies), parental stress/distress (n = 11), parental level of education (n = 9), pre-injury family functioning (n = 8), and parental anxiety (n = 6). Among all associations between parental factors and recovery reported, having a family history of a neurologic disease (i.e., migraine, epilepsy, neurodegenerative disease; 5/6 significant associations reported, 83%), parental stress/distress (9/11, 82%), parental anxiety (4/6, 67%), parental level of education (5/9, 56%), and SES/income (11/19, 57.9%) were shown to have the strongest evidence reporting significant associations with recovery, while a family history of psychiatric disease (3/6, 50%) and pre-injury family functioning (4/9, 44%) showed mixed results. Evidence regarding other parental factors including parental sex, race/ethnicity, insurance status, parental history of concussion, family litigation status, family adjustment levels, and family psychosocial adversity were limited, as studies investigating such factors were few. The current review highlights literature describing several parental factors that significantly influence recovery from mTBI. It will likely be useful for future studies to incorporate parental SES, education, stress/distress, anxiety, quality of parent-child relationships, and parenting style when examining modifying factors in recovery after mTBI. Future studies should also consider how parental factors may serve as potential interventions or policy levers to optimize sport concussion-related policy and return-to-play guidelines.

Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity in the Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Content Analysis of Research Underlying Clinical Guidelines

We conducted a content analysis of the literature underlying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children (i.e., the "Guideline") to determine the extent to which social determinants of health (SDoH) were examined or addressed. The systematic review forming the basis for the Guideline included 37 studies addressing diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment/rehabilitation. We examined those studies to identify SDoH domains derived from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2020 and 2030 websites. No study explicitly mentioned "social determinants of health," by name, and few studies addressed SDoH domains as a primary focus (ranging from 0% to 27% of studies across SDoH domains). The most frequently represented SDoH domains, described in an inferential or a descriptive manner, were Education Access and Quality (29.7% of studies), Social and Community Context (27.0% of studies), and Economic Stability (21.6% of studies). Health Care Access (13.5% of studies) was less well represented and no studies (0%) examined Neighborhood and Built Environment. In terms of the CDC clinical questions, SDoH were only examined as predictors of outcome (prognosis) and no studies examined SDoH in relation to diagnosis or treatment/rehabilitation. The Guideline includes some commentary on health literacy and socioeconomic status. Overall, social determinants of health are largely unrepresented as important or meaningful variables influencing the Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children, or in the studies that informed the Guideline.

A Randomized Trial of Incentivization to Maximize Retention for Real-Time Symptom and Activity Monitoring Using Ecological Momentary Assessment in Pediatric Concussion

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to determine the incentivization strategy that maximizes patient adherence to report symptoms and activity via ecological momentary assessment (EMA) after pediatric concussion, and assess the feasibility of tracking concussed youth using EMA from the emergency department (ED) setting.

METHODS

This study was a randomized controlled trial of participants ages 13 to 18 years with concussion presenting to an urban, academic pediatric ED within 5 days of injury. Participants were randomized to 1 of 4 incentive arms: 2 dynamic (loss-based and streak) and 2 control flat-rate (monetary and electronic device). Participants reported symptoms 3 times per day and cognitive activity once each evening for 3 weeks. Physical activity (step count) and sleep were monitored using a Fitbit (kept by participants in the device flat-rate arm). The primary outcome was proportion of prompts to which participants responded. Secondary outcomes included differential response rates by demographics, and comparison of outcome determination between EMA and subsequent clinical visits.

RESULTS

Thirty participants were enrolled, with a median age of 15.5 years and 60% female. Median cumulative proportion of prompts responded to was 68.3% (interquartile range, 47.6%-82.5%) in the dynamic arms versus 54.0% (interquartile range. 20.6%-68.3%) in the flat-rate arms, P = 0.065. There were nonsignificant differences in median response by sex (65.9% for female vs 40.0% for male, P = 0.072), race/ethnicity (61.9% for non-Hispanic White vs 43.7% for non-Hispanic Black participants, P = 0.097), and insurance (61.9% for private insurance vs 47.6% for public insurance, P = 0.305). Recovery at 3 weeks was discernible for all but 2 participants (93.3%) using EMA data, compared with only 9 participants (30.0%) ( P < 0.001) from clinical visits.

CONCLUSIONS

Dynamic incentivization showed higher rates of response to tridaily symptom prompts compared with flat-rate incentivization. These data show tracking concussed youth using EMA from the ED is feasible using a dynamic incentivization strategy, with improved ability to discern outcomes compared with prospective monitoring using follow-up clinical visits.

The Association of Sport Specialization and Concussion History on Self-Reported Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life Among High School Athletes

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of sport specialization combined with sport-related concussion (SRC) history on depression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a population of high school athletes.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

High schools.

PARTICIPANTS

Two thousand four hundred fifty-three athletes through the State of Wisconsin.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

Sport specialization and SRC history.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Athletes completed questionnaires reporting their SRC history, sports participation (single-sport or multisport), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Pediatric Quality of Life 4.0 (PedsQL). We used multivariate binary logistic regression to assess the odds ratio (OR) for depressive symptoms based on SRC and sport participation history. Separate multilinear regression evaluated the association between the PedsQL, SRC, and sport participation history. The interaction of sport specialization and SRC history was explored in both regression models.

RESULTS

High school athletes who participated in single-sport activities had a greater odds of reporting higher severity of depressive symptoms on PHQ-9 scores (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.11-2.02) and reduced PedsQL ( P < 0.001) compared with their multisport counterparts. There were no associations between SRC history and either PHQ-9 or PedsQL scores. Statistically significant interactions between sport specialization and SRC were not found among all models.

CONCLUSION

Single-sport high school athletes reported a reduction in HRQoL measures along with higher depressive symptoms when compared with the multisport athletes. The SRC history did not have a lingering effect on depression or HRQoL in this study. These findings raise some interesting concerns regarding the quality of mental health in adolescent athletes solely focused on single-sport endeavors.

Re/producing the Pediatric Concussion Discourse in clinical rehabilitation practice

PURPOSE

In the field of pediatric concussion, little to no scholarship has examined how clinical practice is shaped by patterned ways of thinking, talking about, and coming to understand concussion and young people (or "discourses of concussion in young people"). In this paper, we examine the ways in which one such discourse, the Pediatric Concussion Discourse (PCD), shapes how young people with concussion, their parents, and clinicians can think about, act in relation to, and experience concussion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This critical rehabilitation research is informed by the post-structuralist theory of Michel Foucault (1926-1984), and the key concepts of power/knowledge, discourse, and the subject.

RESULTS

Circulating through clinical guidelines for the management of pediatric concussion, the PCD re/produces the expectation that young people with concussion and their parents will behave as "responsible" subjects who follow the recommendations of so-called experts without question. If recommendations are not implemented, the PCD has the potential to constitute these same groups as "nonadherent", re/producing problematic discourses of medical compliance.

CONCLUSIONS

By examining the effects of the PCD, it becomes possible to imagine how clinical practice and research might evolve in new ways that respect the knowledges and experiences of young people with concussion and their parents.Implications for RehabilitationEngaging in critical examination of clinical rehabilitative practice creates opportunity to imagine how we might approach commonly adopted clinical approaches, including the delivery of health education, differently.Implications for clinical rehabilitation practice include delivering health education in the context of supportive therapeutic relationships that respect the knowledges and experience of young people with concussion and their parents.Implications for rehabilitation research include engaging with critical scholarship within and beyond field and disciplinary boundaries, engaging in formal educational opportunities, and connecting with less formal but invaluable communities of practice.

Return to Learn ECHO: Telementoring for School Personnel to Help Children Return to School and Learning After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND

Return to learn (RTL) after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) presents unique challenges for school professionals. A multidisciplinary team approach is necessary yet training school professionals is logistically difficult. This paper describes an innovative pilot RTL program and its evaluation.

METHODS

Utilizing the telehealth/telementoring program Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), this study utilized a multidisciplinary team of subject matter experts to deliver five 1-hour sessions across 5 cohorts of school-based professionals (total of 133 participants). The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach of post-session and post-program participant surveys and post-program participant focus groups.

RESULTS

Participants who completed a post-program survey reported statistically significant improvements in essential aspects of RTL knowledge and self-efficacy. This included improvements in how to manage a student with an mTBI (44.8% to 86.9%), benefits of early return to school for students following mTBI (31.8% to 86.9%), and the importance of written RTL policies/procedures (55.1% to 97.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that RTL training via a telementoring approach may be a positive and effective way to train school-based professionals and improve knowledge and self-efficacy, especially when attending face-to-face trainings are difficult. This model has the potential to produce programmatic and systematic improvements for RTL education.

A Pilot Prospective Observational Study of Cerebral Autoregulation and 12-Month Outcomes in Children With Complex Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: The Argument for Sufficiency Conditions Affecting TBI Outcomes

BACKGROUND

The relationship between cerebral autoregulation and outcomes in pediatric complex mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is unknown, and explored in this study.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective observational study of patients aged 0 to 18 years hospitalized with complex mild TBI (admission Glasgow Coma Scale score 13 to 15 with either abnormal computerized tomogram of the head or history of loss of consciousness). Cerebral autoregulation was tested using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, and impaired autoregulation defined as autoregulation index<0.4. We collected Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended-Pediatrics score and health-related quality of life data at 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients aged 1.8 to 16.6 years (58.3% male) with complete 12-month outcome data were included in the analysis. Median admission Glasgow Coma Scale score was 15 (range: 13 to 15), median injury severity score was 12 (range: 4 to 29) and 23 patients (96%) had isolated TBI. Overall, 10 (41.7%) patients had impaired cerebral autoregulation. Complete recovery was observed in 6 of 21 (28.6%) children at 3 months, in 4 of 16 (25%) children at 6 months, and in 8 of 24 (33.3%) children at 12 months. There was no difference in median (interquartile range) Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended-Pediatrics score (2 [2.3] vs. 2 [interquartile range 1.3]) or health-related quality of life scores (91.5 [21.1] vs. 90.8 [21.6]) at 12 months between those with intact and impaired autoregulation, respectively. Age-adjusted hypotension occurred in 2/24 (8.3%) patients.

CONCLUSION

Two-thirds of children with complex mild TBI experienced incomplete functional recovery at 1 year. The co-occurrence of hypotension and cerebral autoregulation may be a sufficiency condition needed to affect TBI outcomes.

Neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric recovery from mild traumatic brain injury

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a significant public health concern for children. This review summarizes recent literature on early symptoms and neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological outcomes following pediatric mTBI and highlights factors that predict prolonged recovery. Evidence-based recommendations for assessment and treatment are also discussed.

RECENT FINDINGS

Whereas most children recover within 1 month after mTBI, 10-30% of children experience lingering neuropsychiatric or neuropsychological symptoms 3 months or more after injury. For the subset who experience prolonged recovery, new or worsening emotional and behavioral symptoms are the most frequent concerns. Recent research has suggested that specific factors, including preinjury mental health concerns, female sex, and family characteristics, are associated with increased risk of experiencing prolonged recovery. Early management includes reassurance, brief rest (1-3 days), and gradual return to typical activities. When symptoms linger for more than 4 weeks, evaluation in a specialty clinic is recommended and multimodal therapies are considered. Active recovery models, which include gradual return to aerobic exercise and cognitive behavioral approaches, are promising for the management of prolonged symptoms.

SUMMARY

A minority of children with mTBI experience prolonged neuropsychiatric or neuropsychological concerns. While our understanding of pediatric mTBI is growing, and recommendations for assessment and management have been developed, many gaps remain.

Effect of parental education and household poverty on recovery after traumatic brain injury in school-aged children

OBJECTIVE

While prior studies have found parental socioeconomic status (SES) affects the outcomes of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI), the longitudinal trajectory of this effect is not well understood.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included children 8-18 years of age admitted to six sites with a complicated mild (n = 123) or moderate-severe TBI (n = 47). We used caregiver education and household poverty level as predictors, and multiple quality of life and health behavior domains as outcomes. Differences at 6, 12, and 24 months from baseline ratings of pre-injury functioning were compared by SES. We examined the association between measures of SES and domains of functioning over the 24 months post-injury in children with a complicated mild or moderate- severe TBI, and determined how this association varied over time.

RESULTS

Parental education was associated with recovery among children with complicated mild TBI; outcomes at 6, 12, and 24 months were substantially poorer than at baseline for children with the least educated parents. After moderate-severe TBI, children in households with lower incomes had poorer outcomes compared to baseline across time.

IMPLICATIONS

Parental education and household income were associated with recovery trajectories for children with TBI of varying severity.

Influence of insurance type on rate and type of initial concussion-related medical visits among youth

Background

A growing number of studies report increased concussion-related health care utilization in recent years, but factors impacting care-seeking behaviors among youth following a concussion are not well described. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of insurance type on the rate and type of initial concussion visits and the time from injury to the initial visit in youth.

Methods

We extracted and analyzed initial concussion-related medical visits for youth ages 10 to 17 from electronic health records. Patients must have visited Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s (NCH) concussion clinic at least once between 7/1/2012 and 12/31/2017. We evaluated the trends and patterns of initial concussion visits across the study period using regression analyses.

Results

Of 4955 unique concussion visits included, 60.1% were males, 80.5% were white, and 69.5% were paid by private insurance. Patients’ average age was 13.9 years (SD = 3.7). The rate of the initial concussion visits per 10,000 NCH visits was consistently higher in privately insured than publicly insured youth throughout the study period (P < .0001). Privately insured youth had greater odds of initial concussion visits to sports medicine clinics (AOR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.76) but lower odds of initial concussion visits to the ED/urgent care (AOR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.60, 0.90) than publicly insured youth. Days from injury to initial concussion visit significantly decreased among both insurance types throughout the study (P < .0001), with a greater decrease observed in publicly insured than privately insured youth (P = .011).

Conclusions

Results on the differences in the rate, type, and time of initial concussion-related visits may help inform more efficient care of concussion among youth with different types of insurance.

CDC Guideline on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Children: Important Practice Takeaways for Sports Medicine Providers

OBJECTIVES

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an evidence-based guideline on the diagnosis and management of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in 2018. This commentary provides key practice takeaways for sports medicine providers outlined in the Guideline recommendations.

DATA SOURCES

The CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline was developed through a rigorous scientific process using a modified Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology. A systematic review of the scientific literature published over a 25-year period for all causes of pediatric mTBI formed the basis of the Guideline.

MAIN RESULTS

The key practice takeaways for sports medicine providers focus on preseason evaluations, neuroimaging, symptom-based assessment, managing recovery, monitoring for persistent symptoms, and return to activity, including sport and school.

CONCLUSIONS

Sports medicine providers play an integral part in the implementation of evidence-based practices that promote appropriate diagnosis and management of mTBI in children. This commentary highlights key practice takeaways that sports medicine providers can implement.

A Comparison of Satisfaction With Life and the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended After Traumatic Brain Injury: An Analysis of the TRACK-TBI Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between satisfaction with life (SWL) and functional outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury Pilot study (TRACK-TBI Pilot) enrolled patients at 3 US Level I trauma centers within 24 hours of TBI.

DESIGN

Patients were grouped by outcome measure concordance (good-recovery/good-satisfaction, impaired-recovery/impaired-satisfaction) and discordance (good-recovery/impaired-satisfaction, impaired-recovery/good-satisfaction). Logistic regression was utilized to determine predictors of discordance.

MAIN MEASURES

Functional outcome: Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE); SWL: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).

RESULTS

Of the 586 enrolled subjects, 298 had completed both outcome measures at 6-month follow-up; the correlation between GOSE and SWLS was 0.380. Patients with impaired-recovery (GOSE < 7)/impaired-satisfaction (SWLS < 20) were more likely to have mild TBI (83% vs 62%, P = .012), baseline depression (42% vs 15%, P < .0001), and 6-month depression (59% vs 21%, P < .0001) when compared with patients with impaired-recovery/good-satisfaction. Patients with good-recovery/impaired-satisfaction were more likely to have baseline depression (31% vs 13%, P < .0001) and 6-month depression (33% vs 6%, P < .0001) compared with good-recovery/good-satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Correlation between SWL and functional outcome was not strong, and depression may modulate the association. Future research should account for functional, mental health, and patient-centered outcomes when assessing TBI recovery.

Concussion reporting, return to learn, and return to play experiences in a sample of private preparatory high school students

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to describe concussion reporting and return to learn and play among high school students.

METHODS

Self-reported survey data of 1,999 New England private preparatory high school students who played sports or engaged in recreational activities were collected in 2018. Descriptive and bivariate statistics are presented.

RESULTS

Three in ten respondents (31.4%) reported ever sustaining a concussion and 22.0% did not report at least one concussion to an adult. The most common reasons for not reporting included wanting to keep playing their sport (58.0%) and not thinking the injury was that serious (53.6%). Girls and students in higher grades took longer to return to school and sports. A quarter of students reported pretending to have a faster recovery in order to return to school or sports.

CONCLUSION

Private school students who play sports or engage in recreational activity may be at risk of sustaining concussions and may not report their symptoms due to a lack of understanding the seriousness of concussion, not wanting to fall behind in school, or out of desire to continue playing their sport. Teachers, coaches, and parents can stress reporting as the first step in recovery.

A commentary for neuropsychologists on CDC's guideline on the diagnosis and management of mild traumatic brain injury among children

Objective: In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) published an evidence-based guideline on the diagnosis and management of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) among children. This commentary summarizes the key recommendations in the CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline most relevant for neuropsychologists and discusses research gaps and topics that should receive attention in future iterations of the Guideline.Method: We described the methods used to develop the Guideline, which included a comprehensive Systematic Review. We also distilled and presented key practice strategies reflected in Guideline.Results: To optimize care of pediatric patients with mTBI, neuropsychologists should: use validated, age-appropriate symptom scales, assess evidence-based risk factors for prolonged recovery, provide patients with instructions on return to activity customized to their symptoms, and counsel patients to return gradually to nonsports activities after a short period of rest. Future iterations of the Guideline should encompass a review and guidance on care of patients with psychiatric and psychological difficulties, as well as the potential use of imaging to assess patients with persistent symptoms. Expanded research on mTBI among girls, children age 8 and under, and effective treatments for pediatric mTBI will be beneficial to inform care practices.Conclusions: Recommendations in the CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline highlight multiple opportunities for neuropsychologists to take action to improve the care of young patients with mTBI and to advance research in the field. Multiple resources and tools are available to support implementation of these recommendations into clinical practice.

Trajectories in health recovery in the 12 months following a mild traumatic brain injury in children: findings from the BIONIC Study

INTRODUCTION There is growing consensus that adverse child outcomes may be evident in the early recovery phase following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, controversy remains around the nature of children's longer-term recovery. AIM To examine child cognitive, behavioural and quality-of-life outcomes over 12 months following mild injury, and to identify prognostic factors associated with outcomes. METHODS A prospective sample of 222 children (aged 2-15 years at injury) with mild TBI was assessed using a cognitive testing battery and parent-report questionnaires at ≤ 14 days, 1, 6 and/or 12-months post-injury. RESULTS Parents reported significant improvements in their child's behavioural adjustment between baseline and 6 months (P = 0.003), with further improvements at 12 months following injury (P = 0.001). Cognitive recovery and quality-of-life improvements were more gradual with minimal changes in the first month (P > 0.05), but significant improvements by 12-months post-injury (P = 0.03, P = 0.02, respectively). Time since injury, male gender, living rurally and parent anxiety were associated with extent of recovery beyond the acute period. CONCLUSIONS Children's recovery from mild TBI continues beyond the initial 6 months following injury. Health-care providers need to be vigilant about the varying trajectories in children's recovery from TBI. On-going monitoring of children following injury will enable timely and proactive responses to persistent difficulties, with a view to minimising longer-term adverse consequences.

Factors Associated With Degree and Length of Recovery in Children With Mild and Complicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND

A complicated mild traumatic brain injury (C-mTBI) is an mTBI with some form of intracranial abnormality identified radiographically. The lack of knowledge in recovery patterns and no clear guidelines on return to activity in children with C-mTBI provide unique challenges to physicians.

OBJECTIVE

To examine recovery patterns among three cohorts: mTBI, mTBI with skull fracture only (mTBI-SF), and C-mTBI via a cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

Caregivers of children with mTBI (from hospital database queries 2010-2013) were mailed a questionnaire on preinjury health, postinjury recovery, and activity patterns before and after injury. We examined degree (0-10 with 10 being complete recovery) and length (in months) of recovery in children with mTBI, and associations of potential risk factors to these variables.

RESULTS

Of the 1777 surveyed, a total of 285 complete responses were analyzed for this study. Data included 175 (61.4%) children with mTBI, 33 (11.6%) children with mTBI-SF, and 77 (27.0%) children with C-mTBI. Older age and C-mTBI (vs mTBI) were significantly associated with a lower degree and longer period of recovery (P < .05). Predicted probabilities of complete recovery for children with mTBI, those with mTBI-SF, and those with C-mTBI were 65.5%, 52.7%, and 40.0%, respectively. Predicted probabilities of not yet completely recovered after more than a year since injury for these groups were 11.3%, 24.4%, and 37.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate significant differences in children with different forms of mTBI, and argue for further investigation of treatment plans individualized for each form of mTBI.

Racial Disparities in Outpatient Mental Health Service Use Among Children Hospitalized for Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE

To examine racial differences in mental health service utilization after hospitalization for traumatic brain injury (TBI) among children with Medicaid insurance.

DESIGN AND MAIN MEASURES

Retrospective analysis of the MarketScan Multi-State Medicaid database from 2007 to 2012 was performed. Outpatient mental health service utilization (psychiatric and psychological individual and group services) was compared at TBI hospitalization, from discharge to 3 months and from 4 to 12 months after discharge, between children of non-Hispanic white (NHW), non-Hispanic black (NHB), Hispanic, and "Other" racial groups. Multivariable mixed-effects Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were utilized.

RESULTS

A total of 5674 children (aged <21 years) were included in the study. There were no differences by race/ethnicity in mental health service utilization during hospitalization. At 3 months postdischarge, NHB children and children in the "Other" racial category were significantly less likely to receive outpatient mental health services than NHW children (NHB relative risk [RR] = 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-0.98; Other RR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.57-0.90). At 12 months, all racial minority children were significantly less likely to receive outpatient mental health services than NHW children (NHB RR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.94; Hispanic RR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.94; Other RR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.60-0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Racial disparities in utilization of outpatient mental health services exist for minority children hospitalized for TBI and insured by Medicaid. Future research should focus on improving transitions of care from inpatient to outpatient services for these children.

Health-Related Quality of Life Among Survivors of Pediatric Sepsis

OBJECTIVES

Mortality from pediatric sepsis has steadily declined over the past several decades; however, little is known about morbidity among survivors. We aimed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for failure to recover to baseline health-related quality of life following community-acquired pediatric sepsis.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Seattle Children's Hospital.

PATIENTS

Children aged 1 month to 21 years admitted to the inpatient wards or ICUs from 2012 to 2015 who met 2005 consensus sepsis criteria within 4 hours of hospitalization and were enrolled in the hospital's Outcomes Assessment Program with baseline, admission, and post-discharge health-related quality of life data available.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We assessed health-related quality of life with the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory for pre-admission baseline, admission, and post-discharge (median, 31 d) status. We determined associations between patient and illness characteristics with failure to recover within 4.5 points of baseline at follow-up (the minimum clinically significant difference between two scores). Of 790 patients, 23.8% failed to recover to baseline health-related quality of life at follow-up. Factors associated with failure to recover were septic shock, older age, private insurance, complex chronic disease, immune compromise, CNS infection or bacteremia, ICU admission, and longer length of stay. On multivariable analysis controlling for time to follow-up, failure to recover was independently associated with septic shock (relative risk, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.24-2.58), older age (relative risk, 1.02/yr; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05), immune compromise (relative risk, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.40-2.40), and length of stay (relative risk, 1.03/d; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly one-quarter of children surviving hospitalization for community-acquired sepsis experienced a clinically significant deterioration in health-related quality of life. We identify risk factors for poor outcomes following sepsis and highlight the need for ongoing evaluation and treatment by primary and specialty care providers for pediatric sepsis survivors after hospital discharge.

Health-related quality of life following adolescent sports-related concussion or fracture: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

The longitudinal effects of sports-related concussion (SRC) in adolescents on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) remain poorly understood. Hence, the authors established two objectives of this study: 1) compare HRQOL outcomes among adolescents with an acute SRC or a sports-related extremity fracture (SREF) who were followed up until physician-documented clinical recovery; and 2) identify the clinical variables associated with worse HRQOL among adolescent SRC patients.

METHODS

The authors conducted a prospective cohort study of adolescents with acute SRC and those with acute SREF who underwent clinical assessment and follow-up at tertiary subspecialty clinics. Longitudinal patient-reported HRQOL was measured at the time of initial assessment and at each follow-up appointment by using the adolescent version (age 13-18 years) of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Generic Core Scale and Cognitive Functioning Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 135 patients with SRC (60.0% male; mean age 14.7 years; time from injury to initial assessment 6 days) and 96 patients with SREF (59.4% male; mean age 14.1 years; time from injury to initial assessment 8 days) participated in the study. At the initial assessment, the SRC patients demonstrated significantly worse cognitive HRQOL and clinically meaningful impairments in school and overall HRQOL compared to the SREF patients. Clinical variables associated with a worse HRQOL among SRC patients differed by domain but were significantly affected by the patients' initial symptom burden and the development of delayed physician-documented clinical recovery (> 28 days postinjury). No persistent impairments in HRQOL were observed among SRC patients who were followed up until physician-documented clinical recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescent SRC is associated with temporary impairments in HRQOL that have been shown to resolve in patients who are followed up until physician-documented clinical recovery. Future studies are needed to identify the clinicopathological features that are associated with impaired HRQOL and to assess whether the initiation of multidisciplinary, targeted rehabilitation strategies would lead to an improvement in HRQOL.

Current State of the Literature on Psychological and Social Sequelae of Sports-Related Concussion in School-Aged Children and Adolescents

Considerably less attention has been paid to psychological and social sequelae of concussion in youth athletes compared with neurocognitive outcomes. This narrative review consolidates the literature on postconcussive emotional and psychosocial functioning in school-aged children and adolescents, highlighting athlete-specific findings. MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases were queried for pediatric concussion studies examining psychological and/or social outcomes, and 604 studies met search criteria (11 of those specific to sport). Results were organized into domains: emotional and social dysfunction, behavioral problems, academic difficulties, sleep disturbance, headache, and quality of life. The small body of literature regarding psychological and social issues following pediatric concussion suggests behavioral disturbances at least temporarily disrupt daily life. Extrapolation from samples of athletes and nonathletes indicates postconcussive anxiety and depressive symptoms appear, although levels may be subclinical. Social and academic findings were less clear. Future well-controlled and adequately powered research will be essential to anticipate concussed athletes’ psychosocial needs.

Quality of Life and Symptom Burden 1 Month After Concussion in Children and Adolescents

We conducted a prospective study of children and adolescents (n = 176; mean age = 13.0 ±2.7 years; 38% female) assessed acutely post-concussion and again 30 days later. We investigated the association between symptom burden and quality of life (QOL) outcomes, as well as the effect of age on QOL. We assessed QOL using patient-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0, and symptoms using the Health and Behavior Inventory (HBI). Acute (<2 days post-injury) HBI ratings demonstrated a low correlation ( R² = 0.08) with physical health QOL and a moderate correlation with psychosocial health QOL ( R² = 0.21) 30 days post-concussion. HBI ratings 30 days post-concussion demonstrated a moderately high correlation with physical health QOL ( R² = 0.35) and psychosocial health QOL ( R² = 0.57). Age was not significantly associated with physical or psychosocial QOL ratings. Impairments in QOL following concussion may identify children and adolescents who need additional referral to address persistent symptoms at this time.

Opportunities for nurses to support recovery after pediatric injury: Relationships among posttraumatic stress, hope, and quality of life

PURPOSE

Nurses are at the forefront of children's postinjury recovery; this unique role provides an opportunity for nurses to recognize and screen for symptoms that may interfere with children's quality of life (QOL). As such, aims of the present investigation were to explore selected variables (e.g., posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], hope) that have the potential to impact QOL after pediatric injury, with a larger goal of contributing to recommendations for nursing practice to support children's full (physical and emotional) recovery during the peritrauma period following injury.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Sixty children (aged 7-13) completed measures of PTSS, hope, and QOL while receiving injury treatment.

RESULTS

PTSS significantly predicted concurrent QOL, β = -0.42, p = 0.001. Exploratory results demonstrated that specific PTSS clusters (re-experiencing [ β = -0.39; p = 0.003), avoidance [ β = -0.35; p = 0.009], arousal [ β = -0.34; p = .012]) all significantly predicted QOL. Specific PTSS were explored. Hope (overall, domains of pathways, general agency, goal setting) did not significantly predict concurrent QOL.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

While this study is exploratory and more research is needed, current results suggest that nurses' awareness of PTSS (including symptoms of re-experiencing, avoidance, arousal) may help medical teams in identifying children that are at risk for impaired functional recovery (e.g., QOL) during the peritrauma period. Nurses may want to consider advocating for the integration of PTSS screeners into standard medical care. In addition, nurses have the opportunity to serve as key medical professionals in the delivery of trauma-informed medical care (which aims to minimize further trauma or re-traumatization). Nursing leadership may want to consider offering training in how nurses can identify and respond to children who have experienced an injury (such as trauma-informed care).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children

Importance

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, in children is a rapidly growing public health concern because epidemiologic data indicate a marked increase in the number of emergency department visits for mTBI over the past decade. However, no evidence-based clinical guidelines have been developed to date for diagnosing and managing pediatric mTBI in the United States.

Objective

To provide a guideline based on a previous systematic review of the literature to obtain and assess evidence toward developing clinical recommendations for health care professionals related to the diagnosis, prognosis, and management/treatment of pediatric mTBI.

Evidence Review

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Board of Scientific Counselors, a federal advisory committee, established the Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Guideline Workgroup. The workgroup drafted recommendations based on the evidence that was obtained and assessed within the systematic review, as well as related evidence, scientific principles, and expert inference. This information includes selected studies published since the evidence review was conducted that were deemed by the workgroup to be relevant to the recommendations. The dates of the initial literature search were January 1, 1990, to November 30, 2012, and the dates of the updated literature search were December 1, 2012, to July 31, 2015.

Findings

The CDC guideline includes 19 sets of recommendations on the diagnosis, prognosis, and management/treatment of pediatric mTBI that were assigned a level of obligation (ie, must, should, or may) based on confidence in the evidence. Recommendations address imaging, symptom scales, cognitive testing, and standardized assessment for diagnosis; history and risk factor assessment, monitoring, and counseling for prognosis; and patient/family education, rest, support, return to school, and symptom management for treatment.

Conclusions and Relevance

This guideline identifies the best practices for mTBI based on the current evidence; updates should be made as the body of evidence grows. In addition to the development of the guideline, CDC has created user-friendly guideline implementation materials that are concise and actionable. Evaluation of the guideline and implementation materials is crucial in understanding the influence of the recommendations.

Persistent Postconcussion Symptoms After Injury

: media-1vid110.1542/5828371885001PEDS-VA_2018-0939Video Abstract OBJECTIVES: We examined whether preinjury, demographic, and family factors influenced vulnerability to postconcussion symptoms (PCSs) persisting the year after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

METHODS

Children with mTBI (n = 119), complicated mild traumatic brain injury (cmTBI) (n = 110), or orthopedic injury (OI) (n = 118), recruited from emergency departments, were enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal cohort study. Caregivers completed retrospective surveys to characterize preinjury demographic, child, and family characteristics. PCSs were assessed using a validated rating scale. With multivariable general linear models adjusted for preinjury symptoms, we examined predictors of PCSs 3, 6, and 12 months after injury in children ages 4 to 8, 9 to 12, and 13 to 15 years at injury. With logistic regression, we examined predictors of chronic PCSs 1 year after traumatic brain injury.

RESULTS

Postinjury somatic, emotional, cognitive, and fatigue PCSs were similar in the mTBI and cmTBI groups and significantly elevated compared with the OI group. PCS trajectories varied with age and sex. Adolescents had elevated PCSs that improved; young children had lower initial symptoms and less change. Despite similar preinjury PCSs, girls had elevated symptoms across all time points compared with boys. PCS vulnerability factors included female sex, adolescence, preinjury mood problems, lower income, and family discord. Social capital was a protective factor. PCSs persisted in 25% to 31% of the traumatic brain injury group and 18% of the OI group at 1 year postinjury. The odds of chronic PCSs were almost twice as high in girls as in boys and were >4 times higher in young children with cmTBI than in those with mTBI.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant minority of children with mTBI and OI have PCSs that persisted 1 year after injury.

Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Children: A Systematic Review

IMPORTANCE

In recent years, there has been an exponential increase in the research guiding pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) clinical management, in large part because of heightened concerns about the consequences of mTBI, also known as concussion, in children. The CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's (NCIPC) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC), a federal advisory committee, established the Pediatric Mild TBI Guideline workgroup to complete this systematic review summarizing the first 25 years of literature in this field of study.

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review of the pediatric mTBI literature to serve as the foundation for an evidence-based guideline with clinical recommendations associated with the diagnosis and management of pediatric mTBI.

EVIDENCE REVIEW

Using a modified Delphi process, the authors selected 6 clinical questions on diagnosis, prognosis, and management or treatment of pediatric mTBI. Two consecutive searches were conducted on PubMed, Embase, ERIC, CINAHL, and SportDiscus. The first included the dates January 1, 1990, to November 30, 2012, and an updated search included December 1, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The initial search was completed from December 2012 to January 2013; the updated search, from July 2015 to August 2015. Two authors worked in pairs to abstract study characteristics independently for each article selected for inclusion. A third author adjudicated disagreements. The risk of bias in each study was determined using the American Academy of Neurology Classification of Evidence Scheme. Conclusion statements were developed regarding the evidence within each clinical question, and a level of confidence in the evidence was assigned to each conclusion using a modified GRADE methodology. Data analysis was completed from October 2014 to May 2015 for the initial search and from November 2015 to April 2016 for the updated search.

FINDINGS

Validated tools are available to assist clinicians in the diagnosis and management of pediatric mTBI. A significant body of research exists to identify features that are associated with more serious TBI-associated intracranial injury, delayed recovery from mTBI, and long-term sequelae. However, high-quality studies of treatments meant to improve mTBI outcomes are currently lacking.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This systematic review was used to develop an evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and management of pediatric mTBI. While an increasing amount of research provides clinically useful information, this systematic review identified key gaps in diagnosis, prognosis, and management.

Neurological outcome in children and youth with acquired brain injury 2-year post-injury

OBJECTIVE

To determine neurological outcome in children and youth with acquired brain injury (ABI) and explore associated factors.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study, two-years post-injury.

PATIENTS

Hospital-based sample (n=112) aged 6-22 years.

METHODS

Neurological outcome and participation were assessed with a multidimensional neurological examination and the Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the relationships.

RESULTS

Both sensorimotor and cognitive deficits were found in 30-31%, language deficits and behavioural deficits in 10-17%. Non-traumatic injury had a negative impact on neurological outcome, specifically regarding sensorimotor and language deficits. Lower education level showed a significantly poorer neurological outcome. High levels of age-expected participation were reported, with a significant relation between deficits and participation restrictions, especially at school.

CONCLUSION

One out of three have a poor neurological outcome, related to type of injury and lower level of education. The amount of deficits is associated with participation restrictions.

Routine surveillance imaging following mild traumatic brain injury with intracranial hemorrhage may not be necessary

BACKGROUND

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) comprises the majority of pediatric traumatic brain injury. Children with mTBI even with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH) rarely experience a clinically significant neurologic decline (CSND). The utility of routine surveillance imaging in the pediatric population also remains controversial, especially owing to concerns about the risks of radiation exposure at a young age. This study aims to identify demographic or injury-related characteristics that may facilitate recognition of children at risk of progression with mTBI.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of patients <16 years old with mTBI (GCS 13-15) and tICH admitted to a Level I pediatric trauma center between 2009 and 2014. Management of these patients was directed by the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Minor Head Injury Algorithm. We reviewed each chart with emphasis on patient demographics, injury specific data, and radiographic or clinical progression.

RESULTS

154 patients met inclusion criteria with mean age of 4 [0-16]; 116 sustained an tICH and 38 patients had isolated skull fractures. Repeat neuroimaging was obtained in 68 patients (59%). Only 9 patients (13%) with tICH had radiographic progression, none of which resulted in CSND. In addition, 9 patients experienced CSND, leading to neurosurgical intervention in 6 patients. Notably, none of these patients had repeat imaging prior to their neurologic changes. Both CSND and need for intervention were significantly higher in patients with epidural hematomas than other types of tICH (19.2% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.002). Of 154 patients, 19 did not have documented follow-up, 135 were seen as outpatients and 65 (48%) had follow up neuroimaging. All patients who had surveillance imaging in the outpatient setting had stable or resolved tICH.

CONCLUSION

Few children with mTBI and tICH experience clinical decline. Importantly, all patients that required neurosurgical intervention were identified by clinical changes rather than via repeat imaging. Our study suggests that in the vast majority of cases, clinical monitoring alone is safe and sufficient in patients in order to avoid exposure to repeat radiographic imaging.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, prognostic and epidemiological.

Availability of Concussion Information in Spanish for Parents of Youth Athletes

All but one U.S. state has passed legislation requiring that concussion information be provided to parents of youth participants in school-sponsored sport. Such information should be accessible and easily understood if it is to be used by parents to make informed decisions regarding their children's health and safety. Accessing and understanding information about concussion may be challenging for parents who lack fluency in English. The current study sought to describe the extent and nature of Spanish-language concussion information available on the websites of U.S. public high school athletic associations. We also examined information provided by leading youth sports and health organizations as well as the top U.S. children's hospitals. We sought to quantify the proportion of these websites with Spanish-language translation of concussion education materials and describe the readability, accessibility, and completeness of these translations. Only one quarter of the websites examined contained any concussion information in Spanish, and none of these websites offered a mirrored Spanish-language translation. Spanish information was also difficult to access, with the search process requiring English-language ability. Finally, the readability of the concussion information in both English and Spanish was higher than recommended guidelines. Our findings suggest that non-English-speaking parents may be inadequately informed about concussion because translation of concussion educational materials is absent, incomplete, or hard to access. This raises questions about whether they are able to provide informed consent for their children's participation in contact sport and suggests the need for improved translation of such informational materials.

Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Symptoms Reported by Parents: Clinical, Imaging, and Host Predictors in Children with Impairments in Consciousness Less than 24 Hours

This study examined the relationship between acute neuroimaging, host and injury factors, and parent-reported traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related symptoms in children with noncritical head injury at two weeks and three months after injury. Data were collected prospectively on 45 subjects aged three to 16 years old enrolled in the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI) study. Subjects had rapid recovery of mental status (Glasgow Coma Score [GCS] = 15 within 24 h), and had no clinical need for neurosurgical intervention. Intra- or extra-axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions were categorized using Common Data Elements (CDE) definitions. Host and acute injury factors including neurobehavioral history, race, extracranial injuries, loss of consciousness (LOC), and GCS were analyzed while controlling for pre-injury symptoms, age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Parent-reported cognitive and somatic symptoms were measured by the Health and Behavior Inventory (HBI). Forty-nine percent of children had MRI lesions, most of which were relatively small. LOC predicted increased cognitive and somatic symptoms at two weeks. At three months, pre-injury neurobehavioral history predicted increased cognitive and somatic symptoms. Neuroimaging findings did not predict parent-reported symptom severity, except at three months where extra-axial lesions were associated with less severe cognitive symptoms. While structural MRI lesions do not predict increased parent-reported symptoms in this population, age-specific child performance measures may be more sensitive outcome measures and require further study. Children with pre-injury neurobehavioral problems have more severe symptoms at three months and thus may benefit from longer follow-up and monitoring after traumatic brain injury.

Caregiver-report of symptoms following traumatic brain injury in a small clinical sample of preschool-aged children

PURPOSE

Preschool-aged children have a high rate of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Anecdotally, caregivers of young children describe symptoms not typically associated with TBI. The objective of this study was to preliminarily describe symptoms reported following TBI in an outpatient sample of preschool-aged children.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was completed of the first specialty clinic visit by 28 children ages 3 through 5 years with TBI (32% mild, 50% moderate, 18% severe) to identify post-injury symptoms elicited by caregiver interview including querying of symptoms listed on the Acute Concussion Evaluation (ACE) plus an open-ended request to describe any other symptoms.

RESULTS

Visits occurred on average 38 days post-injury. Caregivers endorsed typical post-concussive symptoms, with headache being most common. In addition, caregivers described other symptoms not captured by the ACE which were grouped into the following categories: Appetite Changes, Behavioral Dysregulation, Decreased Engagement, Disrupted Sleep, Enuresis, Increased Dependence, and Stomachaches.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregivers of preschool-aged children with TBI endorse that young children experience many typical post-concussive symptoms but also a range of other symptoms which may not be typically associated with TBI. Additional work is needed to determine whether specialized evaluation tools and educational materials may be useful for this age group.

Lived Experiences of Adolescent Athletes Following Sport-Related Concussion

Background:

Previous studies have identified the effect of sport-related concussion on health-related quality of life through the use of patient-reported outcome measures. However, there has been little research exploring the underlying mechanisms that influence these perceptions of health-related quality of life among adolescent athletes who have sustained a sport-related concussion.

Purpose:

To explore the psychosocial aspects of concussion among adolescent athletes.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A total of 12 interscholastic athletes (4 girls, 8 boys; mean ± SD age, 15.7 ± 1.7 years; grade level, 10.2 ± 1.4) were interviewed via a semistructured interview protocol between 15 and 30 days postinjury. Data analysis was guided by the consensual qualitative research tradition. Themes and categories emerged through consensus by a 3-person research team, and bias was minimized through the use of multiple-analyst triangulation.

Results:

Participants identified numerous postconcussion symptoms that resulted in increasing difficulty with emotions (eg, irritable, easily frustrated), roles at school (eg, concentration difficulties, fatigue), and roles in their social environment (eg, letting the team down, not being able to contribute to sport). As a result, participants expressed how they tried to minimize or mask symptoms to decrease the potential of being viewed differently by their peers.

Conclusion:

Adolescent athletes perceived a significant effect of sport-related concussion on numerous areas of psychosocial and emotional health and well-being. Anticipatory guidance—with education regarding the possible signs and symptoms, risk factors, and recovery expectations following a concussion—is important to include in postinjury management. A better understanding of sport-related concussion and expected recovery could help to improve perceptions of this injury among interscholastic athletes. Additionally, best practices should be identified to assist health care professionals and school personnel in the development of temporary adjustments or formal academic adjustment policies in the secondary school setting, therefore ensuring that the patients receive the support that they need to maintain their roles as students.

Psychometric evaluation of the pediatric and parent-proxy Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and the Neurology and Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life measurement item banks in pediatric traumatic brain injury

PURPOSE

The primary objective is to provide evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the pediatric and parent-proxy versions of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Peer Relations, Mobility, Pain Interference, and Fatigue item banks, the Neurology Quality of Life measurement system (Neuro-QOL) Cognition-General Concerns and Stigma item banks, and the Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life (TBI-QOL) Executive Function and Headache item banks in a pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) sample.

METHODS

Participants were 134 parent-child (ages 8-18 years) days. Children all sustained TBI and the dyads completed outcome ratings 6 months after injury at one of six medical centers across the United States. Ratings included PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks, as well as the Pediatric Quality of Life inventory (PedsQL), the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as legacy criterion measures against which these item banks were validated.

RESULTS

The PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks demonstrated good convergent validity, as evidenced by moderate to strong correlations with comparable scales on the legacy measures. PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks showed weaker correlations with ratings of unrelated constructs on legacy measures, providing evidence of discriminant validity.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that the constructs measured by the PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks are valid in our pediatric TBI sample and that it is appropriate to use these standardized scores for our primary study analyses.

Evaluation of a follow-up program for mild traumatic brain injury in schoolchildren

INTRODUCTION

Mild traumatic brain injury is a common condition in childhood. Although classified as mild, post-concussive symptoms may persist and interfere with daily activities. Because no established guidelines exist with respect to follow-up medical care for these children, there may be a delay in receiving appropriate care. We developed a follow up program to screen for persistent symptoms and if necessary, refer patients for further medical assistance.

METHODS

From July 2010 until December 2013, eligible children aged 4-18 years who presented after sustaining a mild traumatic brain injury were included. All patients received a phone call after 6 weeks. After a period of 3 months, both their schoolteacher and parents were asked to complete in a questionnaire. The results were discussed monthly by a multidisciplinary team.

RESULTS

A total of 305 children were enrolled in our follow-up program. Headache was the most common acute symptom upon presentation (63%). Overall, 19% of all patients had problems, either at 6 weeks or 3 months. 14% of these patients were referred for special care. Most common persistent post-concussive symptoms were headache (32%), cognitive problems (23%) and behavioural problems (16%). After a period of two years, a review of patient charts revealed that all of the problems were resolved.

CONCLUSION

One fifth of the children exhibit post-concussive symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury. Education of patients and caregivers and a follow up visit if needed applied appropriate care at an early stage to minimise physical and mental problems.

Health-Related Quality of Life after Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion: A Systematic Review

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an emerging method to quantify the consequences of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussion in both clinical practice and research. However, to utilize HRQOL measurements to their full potential in the context of mTBI/concussion recovery, a better understanding of the typical course of HRQOL after these injuries is needed. The objective of this study was to summarize current knowledge on HRQOL after pediatric mTBI/concussion and identify areas in need of further research. The following databases from their earliest date of coverage through June 1, 2015 were used: MEDLINE(®), PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and Child Development and Adolescent Studies (CDAS). Studies must have examined and reported HRQOL in a pediatric population after mTBI/concussion, using a validated HRQOL measurement tool. Eight of 1660 records identified ultimately met inclusion criteria. Comprehensive data were extracted and checked by a second reviewer for accuracy and completeness. There appears to be a small but important subgroup of patients who experience poor HRQOL outcomes up to a year or longer post-injury. Potential predictors of poor HRQOL include older age, lower socioeconomic status, or a history of headaches or trouble sleeping. Differing definitions of mTBI precluded meta-analysis. HRQOL represents an important outcome measure in mTBI/concussion clinical practice and research. The evidence shows that a small but important proportion of patients have diminished HRQOL up to a year or longer post-injury. Further study on this topic is warranted to determine the typical longitudinal progression of HRQOL after pediatric concussion.

Research Review: Changes in the prevalence and symptom severity of child post-traumatic stress disorder in the year following trauma - a meta-analytic study

BACKGROUND

Understanding the natural course of child and adolescent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has significant implications for the identification of, and intervention for, at-risk youth. We used a meta-analytic approach to examine longitudinal changes in youth PTSD prevalence and symptoms over the first 12 months posttrauma.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review to identify longitudinal studies of PTSD in young people (5-18 years old), excluding treatment trials. The search yielded 27 peer-reviewed studies and one unpublished dataset for analysis of pooled prevalence estimates, relative prevalence reduction and standardised mean symptom change. Key moderators were also explored, including age, proportion of boys in the sample, initial prevalence of PTSD and PTSD measurement type.

RESULTS

Analyses demonstrated moderate declines in PTSD prevalence and symptom severity over the first 3-6 months posttrauma. From 1 to 6 months posttrauma, the prevalence of PTSD reduced by approximately 50%. Symptoms also showed moderate decline, particularly across the first 3 months posttrauma. There was little evidence of further change in prevalence or symptom severity after 6 months, suggesting that it is unlikely a child would lose a PTSD diagnosis without intervention beyond this point.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings provide key information about the likelihood of posttrauma recovery in the absence of intervention and have important implications for our understanding of child and adolescent PTSD. Results are discussed with reference to the timing of PTSD screening and the potential role of early interventions. Findings particularly highlight the importance of future research to develop our understanding of what factors prevent the action of normal recovery from the 'acute' posttrauma period.

Postconcussion Syndrome: A Review

Postconcussion syndrome is a symptom complex with a wide range of somatic, cognitive, sleep, and affective features, and is the most common consequence of traumatic brain injury. Between 14% and 29% of children with mild traumatic brain injury will continue to have postconcussion symptoms at 3 months, but the pathophysiological mechanisms driving this is poorly understood. The relative contribution of injury factors to postconcussion syndrome decreases over time and, instead, premorbid factors become important predictors of symptom persistence by 3 to 6 months postinjury. The differential diagnoses include headache disorder, cervical injury, anxiety, depression, somatization, vestibular dysfunction, and visual dysfunction. The long-term outcome for most children is good, although there is significant morbidity in the short term. Management strategies target problematic symptoms such as headaches, sleep and mood disturbances, and cognitive complaints.

Functional independence after inpatient rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury among minority children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE

To compare motor and cognitive functional independence scores between Hispanic, non-Hispanic black (NHB), and non-Hispanic white (NHW) children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation national dataset from the years 2002 to 2012.

SETTING

Inpatient rehabilitation units.

PARTICIPANTS

Children (N=10,141) aged 6 months to 18 years who received inpatient rehabilitation for TBI.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Motor and cognitive functional independence after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, adjusting for age, sex, admission function, length of stay, insurance, and region.

RESULTS

Inpatient rehabilitation therapy improved functional independence for all children. Younger age, lower admission functional independence scores, and Medicaid insurance were associated with lower functional independence at discharge. Hispanic and NHB children had lower discharge cognitive scores compared with NHW children; however, differences were small and were partially explained by insurance status and region. Children who received rehabilitation therapy at pediatric facilities had greater cognitive improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

While racial/ethnic disparities are small, minority children are more likely to be younger, to have Medicaid, and to be cared for at nonpediatric facilities, factors that increase their risk for lower functional outcomes.

Cognitive-communication disorders in children with traumatic brain injury

Children with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at risk of developing cognitive-communication disorders that have devastating effects on their school life, family life, and social life. These problems can be difficult for families to describe and may be overlooked by community-based providers who are unfamiliar with TBI sequelae. To support the identification and management of cognitive-communication disorders, we review the common signs and symptoms of these disorders in children with TBI and discuss principles of assessment and intervention.