Prognostic models can guide clinical management and increase statistical power in clinical trials. The availability and adequacy of prognostic models for mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is uncertain. The present study aimed to (1) identify and evaluate multivariable prognostic models for MTBI, and (2) determine which pre-, peri-, and early post-injury variables have independent prognostic value in the context of multivariable models. An electronic search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases for English-language MTBI cohort studies from 1970-2013 was supplemented by Web of Science citation and hand searching. This search strategy identified 7789 articles after removing duplicates. Of 182 full-text articles reviewed, 26 met eligibility criteria including (1) prospective inception cohort design, (2) prognostic information collected within 1 month post-injury, and (3) 2+variables combined to predict clinical outcome (e.g., post-concussion syndrome) at least 1 month later. Independent reviewers extracted sample characteristics, study design features, clinical outcome variables, predictor selection methods, and prognostic model discrimination, calibration, and cross-validation. These data elements were synthesized qualitatively. The present review found no multivariable prognostic model that adequately predicts individual patient outcomes from MTBI. Suboptimal methodology limits their reproducibility and clinical usefulness. The most robust prognostic factors in the context of multivariable models were pre-injury mental health and early post-injury neuropsychological functioning. Women and adults with early post-injury anxiety also have worse prognoses. Relative to these factors, the severity of MTBI had little long-term prognostic value. Future prognostic studies should consider a broad range of biopsychosocial predictors in large inception cohorts.

Aim or objective The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence regarding rest and active treatment/rehabilitation following sport-related concussion (SRC). Design Systematic review.

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This prospective longitudinal study reports recovery from mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) across multiple domains in a carefully selected consecutive sample of 74 previously healthy adults. The patients with MTBI and 40 orthopedic controls (i.e., ankle injuries) completed assessments at 1, 6, and 12 months after injury. Outcome measures included cognition, post-concussion symptoms, depression, traumatic stress, quality of life, satisfaction with life, resilience, and return to work. Patients with MTBI reported more post-concussion symptoms and fatigue than the controls at the beginning of recovery, but by 6 months after injury, did not differ as a group from nonhead injury trauma controls on cognition, fatigue, or mental health, and by 12 months, their level of post-concussion symptoms and quality of life was similar to that of controls. Almost all (96%) patients with MTBI returned to work/normal activities (RTW) within the follow-up of 1 year. A subgroup of those with MTBIs and controls reported mild post-concussion-like symptoms at 1 year. A large percentage of the subgroup who had persistent symptoms had a modifiable psychological risk factor at 1 month (i.e., depression, traumatic stress, and/or low resilience), and at 6 months, they had greater post-concussion symptoms, fatigue, insomnia, traumatic stress, and depression, and worse quality of life. All of the control subjects who had mild post-concussion-like symptoms at 12 months also had a mental health problem (i.e., depression, traumatic stress, or both). This illustrates the importance of providing evidence-supported treatment and rehabilitation services early in the recovery period.

At least 3 million Americans sustain a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) each year, and 1 in 5 have symptoms that persist beyond 1 month. Standards of mTBI care have evolved rapidly, with numerous expert consensus statements and clinical practice guidelines published in the last 5 years. This Special Communication synthesizes recent expert consensus statements and evidenced-based clinical practice guidelines for civilians, athletes, military, and pediatric populations for clinicians practicing outside of specialty mTBI clinics, including primary care providers. The article offers guidance on key clinical decisions in mTBI care and highlights priority interventions that can be initiated in primary care to prevent chronicity.

The current treatment of concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is primarily based on expert consensus. Most clinical practice guidelines advise cognitive and physical rest after injury including withdrawal from normal life activities such as school attendance, sports participation, and technology use until symptoms resolve. Some individuals who sustain an mTBI experience persistent physical, cognitive, and mental health problems. Activity restriction itself may contribute to protracted recovery and other complications. Williamson's Activity Restriction Model of Depression, formulated more than 20 years ago, is central to this hypothesis. We review research evidence for potential harms of prolonged activity restriction and report an mTBI case as an example of how an "activity restriction cascade" can unfold. According to this model, psychological consequences of removal from validating life activities, combined with physical deconditioning, contribute to the development and persistence of postconcussive symptoms after mTBI in some youth. A modification to mTBI guidelines that emphasizes prompt reengagement in life activities as tolerated is encouraged.

The present study aimed to develop an internal validity indicator for a brief general purpose screening battery, the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Two subtests of the RBANS were predicted to be relatively resilient to cognitive dysfunction on the basis of previous research. An Effort Index (EI) was created by combining them via a scaling system. The frequency of EI scores was first examined in a heterogenous clinical sample. A subsequent validation study showed good discriminability. In conclusion, the EI appears to be useful for detecting insufficient effort on a screening battery.