Evidence Hub

Post-concussion symptom burden in children following motor vehicle collisions

Lumba-Brown A, Tang K, Yeates KO, Zemek R, Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) 5P Concussion Team

Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open, 2020

3,029 participants

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Motor vehicle collisions generate considerable transmitted forces resulting in traumatic brain injury in children presenting to emergency departments (EDs). To date, no large study has examined post-concussive symptoms in children sustaining concussions in motor vehicle collisions. This study aimed to compare trends in acute post-concussive symptom burden in children with concussion following motor vehicle collisions as compared to other injury mechanisms.

METHODS: The study is a secondary analysis of the Predicting Persistent Post-concussive Problems in Pediatrics study, which prospectively recruited a multicenter cohort of 3029 children 5-17 years of age presenting to the ED with concussion from 2013-2015. Post-concussive symptom ratings were obtained at pre-specified time points for 12 weeks post-injury, using the validated Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (PCSI). Symptom severity and recovery trajectories were measured using delta scores on the PCSI (mean post-injury symptom score minus perceived pre-injury score). A multivariable, longitudinal model evaluated the adjusted effect of mechanism of injury (motor vehicle collisions vs other mechanisms) on mean symptom scores, compared to perceived pre-injury reports, and the temporal change in mean scores over during recovery.

RESULTS: Of 3029 study participants, 56 (1.8%) sustained concussion from motor vehicle collisions. Children sustaining concussion in a motor vehicle collision had lower post-concussive…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 3,029 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free