Wingerson MJ, Schmitz B, Smulligan KL, Walker GA, Magliato S, Wilson JC, Howell DR. Concussion symptom presentation and clinical recovery among pediatric athletes: comparing concussions sustained during school and summer months.
Brain Inj 2024:1-9. [PMID:
38511887 DOI:
10.1080/02699052.2024.2332770]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
We examined post-concussion symptom presentation, exercise, and sleep among pediatric athletes who sustained concussion during the school year vs. summer months.
METHODS
We evaluated athletes 6-18 years old within 21-days of concussion. They reported symptoms (Health and Behavior Inventory), with cognitive/somatic domain sub-scores calculated, and indicated if they had exercised or experienced sleep problems since injury. We grouped patients by injury season: summer months (June-August) vs. school year (September-May).
RESULTS
350 patients (14.4 ± 2.4 years old; 37% female; initial visit 8.8 ± 5.3 days post-concussion) were seen for care: 24% sustained a concussion during summer months, 76% during the school year. Lower cognitive (median = 7 [IQR = 1, 15] vs. 9.5 [4, 17]; p = 0.01), but not somatic (7 [2.5, 11] vs. 8 [4, 13]; p = 0.06), HBI scores were observed for patients injured during the summer. Groups were similar in proportion exercising (16% vs 17%) and endorsing sleep problems (29% vs 31%). After adjustments, sustaining a concussion during the summer predicted total (β=-3.43; 95%CI = -6.50, -0.36; p = 0.029) and cognitive (β = -2.29; 95%CI = -4.22, -0.36; p = 0.02), but not somatic (β=-1.46; 95%CI = -2.84, -0.08; p = 0.04), symptom severity.
CONCLUSION
Pediatric patients with concussion may present with greater cognitive symptoms during the school year, compared to summer months.
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