RT Journal
A1 Babcock L, Byczkowski T, Wade SL, Ho M, Mookerjee S, Bazarian JJ
T1 PRedicting postconcussion syndrome after mild traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents who present to the emergency department
JF JAMA Pediatrics
JO JAMA Pediatrics
YR 2013
FD February 1
VO 167
IS 2
SP 156
OP 161
DO 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.434
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.434
AB Objective 
                  To determine the acute predictors associated with the development of postconcussion syndrome (PCS) in children and adolescents after mild traumatic brain injury.Design 
                  Retrospective analysis of a prospective observational study.Setting 
                  Pediatric emergency department (ED) in a children's hospital.Participants 
                  Four hundred six children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years.Main Exposure 
                  Closed head trauma.Main Outcome Measures 
                  The Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire administered 3 months after the injury.Results 
                  Of the patients presenting to the ED with mild traumatic brain injury, 29.3% developed PCS. The most frequent PCS symptom was headache. Predictors of PCS, while controlling for other factors, were being of adolescent age, headache on presentation to the ED, and admission to the hospital. Patients who developed PCS missed a mean (SD) of 7.4 (13.9) days of school.Conclusions 
                  Adolescents who have headache on ED presentation and require hospital admission at the ED encounter are at elevated risk for PCS after mild traumatic brain injury. Interventions to identify this population and begin early treatment may improve outcomes and reduce the burden of disease.