Faculty Collaboration Database

Incidence, clinical course, and predictors of prolonged recovery time following sport-related concussion in high school and college athletes. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2013 Jan;19(1):22-33

Date

10/13/2012

Pubmed ID

23058235

DOI

10.1017/S1355617712000872

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84872066643 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   347 Citations

Abstract

Sport-related concussion (SRC) is typically followed by clinical recovery within days, but reports of prolonged symptoms are common. We investigated the incidence of prolonged recovery in a large cohort (n = 18,531) of athlete seasons over a 10-year period. A total of 570 athletes with concussion (3.1%) and 166 controls who underwent pre-injury baseline assessments of symptoms, neurocognitive functioning and balance were re-assessed immediately, 3 hr, and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 45 or 90 days after concussion. Concussed athletes were stratified into typical (within 7 days) or prolonged (> 7 days) recovery groups based on symptom recovery time. Ten percent of athletes (n = 57) had a prolonged symptom recovery, which was also associated with lengthier recovery on neurocognitive testing (p < .001). At 45-90 days post-injury, the prolonged recovery group reported elevated symptoms, without deficits on cognitive or balance testing. Prolonged recovery was associated with unconsciousness [odds ratio (OR), 4.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.12-8.15], posttraumatic amnesia (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.00-3.28), and more severe acute symptoms (p < .0001). These results suggest that a small percentage of athletes may experience symptoms and functional impairments beyond the typical window of recovery after SRC, and that prolonged recovery is associated with acute indicators of more severe injury.

Author List

McCrea M, Guskiewicz K, Randolph C, Barr WB, Hammeke TA, Marshall SW, Powell MR, Woo Ahn K, Wang Y, Kelly JP

Authors

Kwang Woo Ahn PhD Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Michael McCrea PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Athletic Injuries
Brain Concussion
Female
Humans
Incidence
Logistic Models
Male
Multicenter Studies as Topic
Neuropsychological Tests
Postural Balance
Prospective Studies
Recovery of Function
Retrospective Studies
Self Report
Time Factors