Utility of Structured Oculomotor, Balance, and Exercise Testing in Civilian Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2024 Jul 01;103(7):588-594
Date
01/11/2024Pubmed ID
38206608Pubmed Central ID
PMC11178468DOI
10.1097/PHM.0000000000002409Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85196212841 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)Abstract
PURPOSE: Assessments of oculomotor, balance, and exercise function detect different responses to mild traumatic brain injury in sports-related mild traumatic brain injury. These assessments are understudied in the adult community mild traumatic brain injury population. We evaluated level 1 trauma center patients with nonsports-related mild traumatic brain injury on oculomotor functioning (near point of convergence and accommodation), balance (Balance Error Scoring System), and exercise tolerance (Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test).
METHODS: A prospective, cohort study of adults with mild traumatic brain injury ( n = 36) were assessed at 1 wk and 1-mo post-mild traumatic brain injury ( n = 26) using near point of convergence, near point of accommodation, Balance Error Scoring System, Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test, and the Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire. Prevalence of test impairment and association between performance and mild traumatic brain injury-related symptom burden (Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire scores) were characterized.
RESULTS: Participants demonstrated varying levels of impairment (e.g., 33.3% oculomotor, 44.1% balance, and 55.6% exercise impairment at 1 wk). Participants displayed diverse impairment profiles across assessments. We observed medium-to-large correlations between poorer near point of convergence and Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test performance and greater mild traumatic brain injury symptom burden.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinical examinations of oculomotor function, balance, and exercise adopted from sports-related concussion assessments detect impairment in adult community members with mild traumatic brain injury. While findings warrant larger-scale replication, they imply that incorporating these simple, structured examinations into the assessment of mild traumatic brain injury may facilitate more personalized management strategies.
Author List
DeGroot A, Simons MU, Huber DL, Leddy J, McCrea MA, Johnson BD, Nelson LDAuthors
Michael McCrea PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of WisconsinLindsay D. Nelson PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultBrain Concussion
Exercise Test
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Postural Balance
Prospective Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult
