Postconcussion Symptoms as a Marker of Delayed Recovery in Children and Youth Who Recently Sustained a Concussion

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of delayed recovery in children who sustained a concussion and sought care in a pediatric hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study design. SETTING: Montreal Children's Hospital Concussion Clinic database. PATIENTS: Children who sustained a concussion and sought care within 10 days of the injury, with complete medical history and Postconcussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) score available. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Total symptom score on the PCSS, sex, age, history of concussion, sleep disturbances, anxiety, learning disabilities, attention problems, and depression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Delayed recovery (28 days or more). RESULTS: A total of 213 children (F = 76, M = 138) with a mean age of 13.89 ± 2.55 years were included. Only total PCSS score at 10 days postinjury was identified as a significant predictor of delayed recovery (odds ratio: 1.019, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the potential for clinicians to identify, with the sole use of the PCSS, children at risk of experiencing symptoms for longer periods of time.