To update the mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) prognosis review published by the World Health Organization Task Force in 2004.
MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched from ...2001 to 2012. We included published, peer-reviewed studies with more than 30 adult cases.
Controlled trials and cohort and case-control studies were selected according to predefined criteria. Studies had to assess subjective, self-reported outcomes. After 77,914 titles and abstracts were screened, 299 articles were eligible and reviewed for scientific quality. This includes 3 original International Collaboration on MTBI Prognosis (ICoMP) research studies.
Eligible studies were critically appraised using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. Two reviewers independently reviewed each study and tabled data from accepted articles. A third reviewer was consulted for disagreements.
Evidence from accepted studies was synthesized qualitatively into key findings, and prognostic information was prioritized according to design as exploratory or confirmatory. Of 299 reviewed studies, 101 (34%) were accepted and form our evidence base of prognostic studies. Of these, 23 addressed self-reported outcomes in adults, including 2 of the 3 original ICoMP research studies. These studies show that common postconcussion symptoms are not specific to MTBI/concussion and occur after other injuries as well. Poor recovery after MTBI is associated with poorer premorbid mental and physical health status and with more injury-related stress. Most recover over 1 year, but persistent symptoms are more likely in those with more acute symptoms and more emotional stress.
Common subjective symptoms after MTBI are not necessarily caused by brain injury per se, but they can be persistent in some patients. Those with more initial complaints and psychological distress recover slower. We need more high-quality research on these issues.
To synthesize the best available evidence on objective outcomes after adult mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).
MEDLINE and other databases were searched (2001-2012) for studies related to MTBI. ...Inclusion criteria included published, peer-reviewed articles in English and other languages. References were also identified from the bibliographies of eligible articles.
Randomized controlled trials and cohort and case-control studies were selected according to predefined criteria. Studies had to have a minimum of 30 MTBI cases and assess objective outcomes in adults.
Eligible studies were critically appraised using a modification of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) criteria. Two reviewers independently reviewed each study and extracted data from accepted articles into evidence tables.
Evidence was synthesized qualitatively according to modified SIGN criteria, and studies were categorized as exploratory or confirmatory based on the strength of their design and evidence. After 77,914 records were screened, 299 were found to be relevant and critically reviewed, and 101 were deemed scientifically admissible. Of these, 21 studies that were related to the objective outcomes form the basis of this review. Most evidence indicates the presence of cognitive deficits in the first 2 weeks post-MTBI, and some evidence suggests that complete recovery may take 6 months or a year. A small number of studies indicate that MTBI increases the risk of psychiatric illnesses and suicide.
Early cognitive deficits are common, and complete recovery may be prolonged. Conclusions about mortality post-MTBI are limited. This review has implications for expected recovery after MTBI and MTBI-related health sequelae. Well-designed confirmatory studies are needed to understand the medium- to long-term consequences of MTBI and to further evaluate the effect of prior MTBI and injury severity on recovery.
Abstract
Background
Due to clinical and methodological diversity, clinical studies included in meta-analyses often differ in ways that lead to differences in treatment effects across studies. ...Meta-regression analysis is generally recommended to explore associations between study-level characteristics and treatment effect, however, three key pitfalls of meta-regression may lead to invalid conclusions. Our aims were to determine the frequency of these three pitfalls of meta-regression analyses, examine characteristics associated with the occurrence of these pitfalls, and explore changes between 2002 and 2012.
Methods
A meta-epidemiological study of studies including aggregate data meta-regression analysis in the years 2002 and 2012. We assessed the prevalence of meta-regression analyses with at least 1 of 3 pitfalls: ecological fallacy, overfitting, and inappropriate methods to regress treatment effects against the risk of the analysed outcome. We used logistic regression to investigate study characteristics associated with pitfalls and examined differences between 2002 and 2012.
Results
Our search yielded 580 studies with meta-analyses, of which 81 included meta-regression analyses with aggregated data. 57 meta-regression analyses were found to contain at least one pitfall (70%): 53 were susceptible to ecological fallacy (65%), 14 had a risk of overfitting (17%), and 5 inappropriately regressed treatment effects against the risk of the analysed outcome (6%). We found no difference in the prevalence of meta-regression analyses with methodological pitfalls between 2002 and 2012, nor any study-level characteristic that was clearly associated with the occurrence of any of the pitfalls.
Conclusion
The majority of meta-regression analyses based on aggregate data contain methodological pitfalls that may result in misleading findings.
To synthesize the best available evidence on return to work (RTW) after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).
MEDLINE and other databases were searched (2001-2012) with terms including "craniocerebral ...trauma" and "employment." Reference lists of eligible articles were also searched.
Controlled trials and cohort and case-control studies were selected according to predefined criteria. Studies had to assess RTW or employment outcomes in at least 30 MTBI cases.
Eligible studies were critically appraised using a modification of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. Two reviewers independently reviewed and extracted data from accepted studies into evidence tables.
Evidence was synthesized qualitatively according to modified Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria and prioritized according to design as exploratory or confirmatory. After 77,914 records were screened, 299 articles were found eligible and reviewed; 101 (34%) of these with a low risk of bias were accepted as scientifically admissible, and 4 of these had RTW or employment outcomes. This evidence is preliminary and suggests that most workers RTW within 3 to 6 months after MTBI; MTBI is not a significant risk factor for long-term work disability; and predictors of delayed RTW include a lower level of education (<11y of formal education), nausea or vomiting on hospital admission, extracranial injuries, severe head/bodily pain early after injury, and limited job independence and decision-making latitude.
Our findings are based on preliminary evidence with varied patient characteristics and MTBI definitions, thus limiting firm conclusions. More well-designed studies are required to understand RTW and sustained employment after MTBI in the longer term (≥2y post-MTBI).
To assemble and synthesize the best evidence on the epidemiology, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries and pain in dancers.
Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, ...and other electronic databases were searched from 1966 to 2004 using key words such as dance, dancer, dancing, athletic injuries, occupational injuries, sprains and strains, and musculoskeletal diseases. In addition, the reference lists of relevant studies were examined, specialized journals were hand-searched, and the websites of major dance associations were scanned for relevant information.
Citations were screened for relevance using a priori criteria, and relevant studies were critically reviewed for scientific merit by the best evidence synthesis method. After 1865 abstracts were screened, 103 articles were reviewed, and 32 (31%) of these were accepted as scientifically admissible (representing 29 unique studies).
Data from accepted studies were abstracted into evidence tables relating to the prevalence and associated factors, incidence and risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, economic costs, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries and pain in dancers.
The scientifically admissible studies consisted of 15 (52%) cohort studies, 13 (45%) cross-sectional studies, and 1 (3%) validation study of a diagnostic assessment tool. There is a high prevalence and incidence of lower extremity and back injuries, with soft tissue and overuse injuries predominating. For example, lifetime prevalence estimates for injury in professional ballet dancers ranged between 40% and 84%, while the point prevalence of minor injury in a diverse group of university and professional ballet and modern dancers was 74%. Several potential risk factors for injury are suggested by the literature, but conclusive evidence for any of these is lacking. There is preliminary evidence that comprehensive injury prevention and management strategies may help decrease the incidence of future injury.
The dance medicine literature is young and heterogeneous, limiting our ability to draw consistent conclusions. Nonetheless, the best available evidence suggests that musculoskeletal injury is an important health issue for dancers at all skill levels. Better quality research is needed in this specialized area. Future research would benefit from clear and relevant research questions being addressed with appropriate study designs, use of conceptually valid and clinically meaningful case definitions of injury and pain, and better reporting of studies in line with current scientific standards.
The Swiss chiropractic practice-based research network (PBRN) is a nationwide project developed in collaboration with patients, clinicians, and academic stakeholders to advance musculoskeletal ...epidemiologic research. The aim of this study was to describe the clinician population recruited and representativeness of this PBRN to inform future collaboration. A population-based cross-sectional study was performed. PBRN clinician characteristics were described and factors related to motivation (operationalised as VAS score ≥ 70) to participate in a subsequent patient cohort pilot study were assessed. Among 326 eligible chiropractors, 152 enrolled in the PBRN (47% participation). The PBRN was representative of the larger Swiss chiropractic population with regards to age, language, and geographic distribution. Of those enrolled, 39% were motivated to participate in a nested patient cohort pilot study. Motivation was associated with age 40 years or older versus 39 years or younger (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0-5.2), and with a moderate clinic size (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1-5.7) or large clinic size (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.0-7.8) versus solo practice. The Swiss chiropractic PBRN has enrolled almost half of all Swiss chiropractors and has potential to facilitate collaborative practice-based research to improve musculoskeletal health care quality.Trial registration: Swiss chiropractic PBRN (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05046249); Swiss chiropractic cohort (Swiss ChiCo) pilot study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05116020).
To synthesize the best available evidence regarding the risk of dementia and chronic cognitive impairment (CCI) after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).
MEDLINE and other databases were searched ...(2001-2012) using a previously published search strategy and predefined criteria. Peer-reviewed reports in 6 languages were considered.
Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies, with a minimum of 30 MTBI cases in subjects of any age, assessing the risk of dementia or CCI after MTBI were selected.
Eligible studies were critically appraised using a modification of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. Two reviewers independently reviewed each study and extracted data from accepted articles (ie, with a low risk of bias) into evidence tables.
Evidence from accepted studies was synthesized qualitatively according to modified Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria, and prognostic information was prioritized as exploratory or confirmatory according to design. Of 77,914 records screened, 299 articles were eligible and reviewed. Methodological quality was acceptable for 101 (34%) articles, of which 1 article considered dementia and 7 articles considered CCI. The study examining the risk of dementia after MTBI did not find an association. One randomized controlled trial found that being informed about possible cognitive dysfunction after MTBI was associated with worse cognitive performance on standard tests. Children with MTBI and intracranial pathology ("complicated" MTBI) performed worse than did children without intracranial pathology. Children showed higher rates of cognitive symptoms a year after MTBI than did a control group.
There is a lack of evidence of an increased risk of dementia after MTBI. In children, objective evidence of CCI exists only for complicated MTBI. More definitive studies are needed to inform clinical decisions, assessment of prognosis, and public health policy.
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