Early clinical characteristics of patients with persistent post-concussion symptoms: A prospective study

Abstract

Primary objective: To identify the early clinical features of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) that are predictive of the presence of persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS).

Research design: A prospective study was conducted at a level I trauma centre.

Methods and procedures: One hundred and eighty mTBI patients participated in this study. The post-concussion symptoms (PCS) were evaluated with a PCS checklist. All patients were examined at 1, 2 and 8 weeks post-injury. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the associations of each PCS and the logistic regression was used to identify potential predictors of mTBI patients who might suffer from PPCS.

Main outcomes and results: Less than one-tenth of the mTBI patients examined complained of PPCS at 2 months after head trauma. Patients with PPCS are more likely to suffer from intracranial lesions. Moreover, clinical symptoms at 1 and 2 weeks post-injury, especially physical ones including headache, dizziness and fatigue, were reported significantly more often by patients with PPCS.

Conclusions: This study showed that early clinical symptoms and intracranial lesions may be strongly associated with the presence of PPCS. Thus, those specific characteristics may be used as early indicators of long-term difficulties.

• Persistent post-concussion symptoms
• early predictors
• prospective study