Citation

Meier T, Nelson LD, Huber DL, Bazarian J, Hayes RL, McCrea M. J. Neurotrauma 2017; 34(22): 3134-3142.

Affiliation

Medical College of Wisconsin, Neurosurgery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States ; mmccrea@mcw.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2017.5046

PMID

28699381

Abstract

There is a pressing need to identify objective biomarkers for the assessment of sport-related concussion to reduce the reliance on clinical judgment for the management of these injuries. The goal of the current study was to prospectively establish the acute effects of sport-related concussion (SRC) on serum levels of S100B, GFAP, and UCH-L1. Collegiate and high school football players were enrolled and provided blood at preseason. Injured athletes participated in follow-up visits at approximately 6 and 24-48 hours following documented SRC (N=32). Non-injured football players participated in similar follow-up visits and served as controls (N=29). The median time between injury and blood collection was 2 hours (6-hour visit) and 22.5 hours (24-48-hour visit) in concussed athletes. Concussed athletes had significantly elevated UCH-L1 levels at the 6-hour visit relative to preseason levels (Z=2.22, p=0.03) and levels in control athletes (Z=3.02, p=0.003). Concussed athletes also had elevated S100B at 6 hours relative to preseason (Z=2.07, p=0.04) and controls (Z=2.75, p=0.006). Both markers showed fair discrimination between concussed and control athletes (UCH-L1 AUC[95% confidence internal]=0.74 [0.61-0.88], S100B AUC=0.72 [0.58-0.87]). Percent-change of UCH-L1 and S100B at 6 hours relative to preseason also showed fair discrimination (AUC=0.79[0.66-0.92] and AUC=0.77[0.64-0.90]). GFAP levels did not differ between groups or in concussed athletes relative to preseason. This study provides prospective evidence of significant increases in serum levels of UCH-L1 and S100B during the early acute period following SRC and lays the foundation for future studies examining the clinical potential for blood-based biomarkers in the early detection of concussion.

Keywords: American football;

Language: en

Keywords

BIOMARKERS; HUMAN STUDIES; PROSPECTIVE STUDY; PROTEOMICS; TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY