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Citation
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Lagacé-Legendre C, Boucher V, Robert S, Tardif PA, Ouellet MC, De Guise E, Boulard G, Frémont P, Emond M, Moore L, Le Sage N. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To provide an expert consensus definition of persistent postconcussion symptoms following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
PARTICIPANTS: Canadian healthcare professionals caring for patients with mTBI.
DESIGN: Online Delphi process.
MAIN MEASURES: A first Delphi round documented important dimensions or criteria to consider when defining persistent symptoms. Expert opinions were then resubmitted in 4 subsequent Delphi rounds and their relevance was rated using a 9-point Likert scale. An item with a median rating of 7 or more and a sufficient level of agreement were considered consensual.
RESULTS: After 5 rounds, consensus was reached on a set of criteria that can be summarized as follows: presence of any symptom that cannot be attributed to a preexisting condition and that appeared within hours of an mTBI, that is still present every day 3 months after the trauma, and that has an impact on at least one sphere of a person's life.
CONCLUSION: This Delphi consensus proposes a set of criteria that support a more uniform definition of persistent symptoms in mild TBI among clinicians and researchers. This definition may help clinicians better identify persistent postconcussion symptoms and improve patient management.
Language: en |