The relationship between symptom burden and systemic inflammation differs between male and female athletes following concussion.

Abstract

Background: Inflammation appears to be an important component of concussion pathophysiology. However, its relationship to symptom burden is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers measured in the blood of male and female athletes following sport-related concussion (SRC). Results Forty athletes (n = 20 male, n = 20 female) from nine interuniversity sport teams at a single institution provided blood samples within one week of an SRC. Twenty inflammatory biomarkers were quantitated by immunoassay. The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool version 5 (SCAT-5) was used to evaluate symptoms. Partial least squares (PLS) analyses were used to evaluate the relationship(s) between biomarkers and symptoms. In males, a positive correlation between interferon (IFN)- and symptom severity was observed following SRC. The relationship between IFN- and symptoms was significant among all symptom clusters, with cognitive symptoms displaying the largest effect. In females, a significant negative relationship was observed between symptom severity and cytokines IFN-, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-, and myeloperoxidase (MPO); a positive relationship was observed between symptom severity and MCP-4. Inflammatory mediators were significantly associated with all symptom clusters in females; the somatic symptom cluster displayed the largest effect. Conclusion: These results provide supportive evidence for a divergent relationship between inflammation and symptom burden in male and female athletes following SRC. Future investigations in SRC should be cognizant of the potentially sex-specific pathophysiology underlying symptom presentation.

New Biomarker in Chagas Disease: Extracellular Vesicles Isolated from Peripheral Blood in Chronic Chagas Disease Patients Modulate the Human Immune Response

“…Sex can be an important factor in inflammation pathophysiology. In athletes who suffered a concussion, while men have a positive correlation of IFN- γ levels with the severity of their symptoms, women have a negative correlation of IFN- γ levels and symptom severity [ 44 ]. However, apart from a slight difference in healthy individuals, sex was not a factor that could interfere with IFN- γ production after stimulus with EVs from chronic Chagas disease patients.…”

Elevated Serum Interleukin-1β Levels in Male, but not Female, Collision Sport Athletes with a Concussion History

“…Although IL-1b has several important physiological roles, multiple studies have reported that elevated brain levels of this cytokine can be a key contributor to mTBI out-comes. [28][29][30] A number of studies have attempted to quantify circulating IL-1b following concussion; however, these studies are commonly plagued by undetectable levels of circulating IL-1b, 24,[31][32][33] As such, IL-1b is frequently unreported in studies investigating fluid biomarkers of concussion. Two studies have quantified and reported opposing findings for IL-1b acutely following concussion.…”