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McDonald SJ, O'Brien WT, Symons GF, Chen Z, Bain J, Major BP, Costello D, Yamakawa G, Sun M, Brady RD, Mitra B, Mychasiuk R, O'Brien TJ, Shultz SR. Prolonged elevation of serum neurofilament light after concussion in male Australian football players. Biomark Res 2021; 9:4. [PMID: 33422120 PMCID: PMC7797141 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-020-00256-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Biomarkers that can objectively guide the diagnosis of sports-related concussion, and consequent return-to-play decisions, are urgently needed. In this study, we aimed to determine the temporal profile and diagnostic ability of serum levels of neurofilament light (NfL), ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and tau in concussed male and female Australian footballers. Methods Blood was collected from 28 Australian rules footballers (20 males, 8 females) at 2-, 6-, and 13-days after a diagnosed concussion for comparison to their levels at baseline (i.e. pre-season), and with 27 control players (19 males, 8 females) without a diagnosis of concussion. Serum concentrations of protein markers associated with damage to neurons (UCHL1), axons (NfL, tau), and astrocytes (GFAP) were quantified using a Simoa HD-X Analyzer. Biomarker levels for concussed players were compared over time and between sex using generalised linear mixed effect models, and diagnostic performance was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis. Results Serum NfL was increased from baseline in male footballers at 6- and 13-days post-concussion. GFAP and tau were increased in male footballers with concussion at 2- and 13-days respectively. NfL concentrations discriminated between concussed and non-concussed male footballers at all time-points (AUROC: 2d = 0.73, 6d = 0.85, 13d = 0.79), with tau also demonstrating utility at 13d (AUROC = 0.72). No biomarker differences were observed in female footballers after concussion. Conclusions Serum NfL may be a useful biomarker for the acute and sub-acute diagnosis of concussion in males, and could inform neurobiological recovery and return-to-play decisions. Future adequately powered studies are still needed to investigate biomarker changes in concussed females. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40364-020-00256-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart J McDonald
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. .,Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - William T O'Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Georgia F Symons
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Zhibin Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Clinical Epidemiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Jesse Bain
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Brendan P Major
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel Costello
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Glenn Yamakawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mujun Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rhys D Brady
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Biswadev Mitra
- National Trauma Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Emergency and Trauma Centre, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Terence J O'Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Sandy R Shultz
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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153
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Shahim P, Politis A, van der Merwe A, Moore B, Chou YY, Pham DL, Butman JA, Diaz-Arrastia R, Gill JM, Brody DL, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Chan L. Neurofilament light as a biomarker in traumatic brain injury. Neurology 2020; 95:e610-e622. [PMID: 32641538 PMCID: PMC7455357 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether serum neurofilament light (NfL) correlates with CSF NfL, traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosis, injury severity, brain volume, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) estimates of traumatic axonal injury (TAI). METHODS Participants were prospectively enrolled in Sweden and the United States between 2011 and 2019. The Swedish cohort included 45 hockey players with acute concussion sampled at 6 days, 31 with repetitive concussion with persistent postconcussive symptoms (PCS) assessed with paired CSF and serum (median 1.3 years after concussion), 28 preseason controls, and 14 nonathletic controls. Our second cohort included 230 clinic-based participants (162 with TBI and 68 controls). Patients with TBI also underwent serum, functional outcome, and imaging assessments at 30 (n = 30), 90 (n = 48), and 180 (n = 59) days and 1 (n = 84), 2 (n = 57), 3 (n = 46), 4 (n = 38), and 5 (n = 29) years after injury. RESULTS In athletes with paired specimens, CSF NfL and serum NfL were correlated (r = 0.71, p < 0.0001). CSF and serum NfL distinguished players with PCS >1 year from PCS ≤1 year (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC] 0.81 and 0.80). The AUROC for PCS >1 year vs preseason controls was 0.97. In the clinic-based cohort, NfL at enrollment distinguished patients with mild from those with moderate and severe TBI (p < 0.001 and p = 0.048). Serum NfL decreased over the course of 5 years (ß = -0.09 log pg/mL, p < 0.0001) but remained significantly elevated compared to controls. Serum NfL correlated with measures of functional outcome, MRI brain atrophy, and DTI estimates of TAI. CONCLUSIONS Serum NfL shows promise as a biomarker for acute and repetitive sports-related concussion and patients with subacute and chronic TBI. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE This study provides Class III evidence that increased concentrations of NfL distinguish patients with TBI from controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pashtun Shahim
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
| | - Adam Politis
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Andre van der Merwe
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Brian Moore
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Yi-Yu Chou
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Dzung L Pham
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - John A Butman
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Ramon Diaz-Arrastia
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Jessica M Gill
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - David L Brody
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Leighton Chan
- From the NIH (P.S., A.P., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., Y.-Y.C., D.L.P., J.A.B., J.M.G., D.L.B., L.C.); The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (P.S., A.v.d.M., B.M., J.M.G., D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (P.S., H.Z., K.B.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (D.L.B.), Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.); and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease (H.Z.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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