For Immediate Release
Symptom Persistence During First Year Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Contact: Kathryn Ryan
914-740-2250
kryan@liebertpub.com
New Rochelle, NY, February 10, 2022—More than 70% of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) reported at least one problematic symptom at one year of follow-up that was new or worse than before injury. Half of patients reported three or more such symptoms after a year, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Neurotrauma. Click here to read the article.
Joan Machamer, from the University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, and colleagues representing the TRACK-TBI Investigators, compared the frequency and persistence of symptoms in patients with TBI to two control groups: patients with orthopedic trauma and friend controls. The groups were evaluated at 2 weeks, and 3, 6, and 12 months postinjury.
The investigators found the physical symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and dizziness tended to occur earlier, with cognitive symptoms predominating later. Physical symptoms declined more markedly over time, whereas cognitive symptoms were more constant over time.
“Clinicians should inquire about symptoms in patients who have had a TBI, reassure them that experiencing symptoms is common, and direct them to seek treatment for symptoms that are disrupting their lives,” said the investigators.
“This study is remarkable for several reasons” says David L. Brody, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Neurotrauma. “First, it is among the largest studies of its type, with over 2,000 participants. Second, it confirms what many of us who practice brain injury medicine have observed for many years– a wide variety of symptoms can be very persistent and very troubling to our patients even after so-called ‘mild’ TBI. Third, the investigators used the right controls; people with orthopedic injury as well as friends of the patients with TBI. Symptoms in patients with TBI were substantially more common and more severe than in both control groups.”
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UO1-NS086090. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
About the Journal
Journal of Neurotrauma is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 24 times per year in print and online that focuses on the latest advances in the clinical and laboratory investigation of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. Emphasis is on the basic pathobiology of injury to the nervous system, and the papers and reviews evaluate preclinical and clinical trials targeted at improving the early management and long-term care and recovery of patients with traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma is the official journal of the National Neurotrauma Society and the International Neurotrauma Society. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Neurotrauma website.
About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research. A complete list of the firm’s 100 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.