@article{ref1,
title="Staying in service with posttraumatic headache: a retrospective cohort study of patient outcome",
journal="Neurology",
year="2017",
author="Finkel, Alan G. and Klaric, John S. and Yerry, Juanita A. and Choi, Young S.",
volume="89",
number="11",
pages="1186-1194",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To predict the probability of a military outcome (medical discharge/retirement) in patients with mild traumatic brain injury from a clinical analysis of predetermined patient and headache characteristics. <br><br>METHODS: This retrospective cohort study sampled all new patients referred for headache evaluation at the Brain Injury Clinic of the Womack Army Medical Center, Ft. Bragg, NC (August 2008-January 2010). Headache characteristics were extracted and analyzed. Multivariable binary logistic regressions were conducted to predict probability of medical discharge/retirement. <br><br>RESULTS: Ninety-five soldiers (age 31.3 ± 7.4 years, male 93.7%) reported 166 headaches. The most common injury cited was a blast (53.7%). Patients with a continuous headache have almost 4 times the odds of a medically related discharge/retirement compared to patients without such a headache (continuous headache regression coefficient estimate: p < 0.042, odds ratio 3.98, 95% Wald confidence interval 1.05-15.07). <br><br>RESULTS suggest that, compared to service members who did not have a continuous headache, patients with headache histories with severe holocephalic pain who medicate to keep functioning had the highest probability of medical discharge/retirement. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Certain headache characteristics may be predictive of military outcomes after mild traumatic brain injury, and we propose a profile that may be useful in that prediction. These data could be useful in future attempts to assess and treat patients with posttraumatic headache and to advise longer-term planning for return to duty or discharge.<br><br>© 2017 American Academy of Neurology.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0028-3878",
doi="10.1212/WNL.0000000000004358",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004358"
}