Post-Concussion Syndrome without head injury? A Survey Study (Poster 0588).

Objectives According to ICD-10 or DSM-IV criteria Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) requires a prior mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). However, PCS symptoms are non-specific and can also affect non-mTBI populations. Symptoms further overlap with other diagnoses, such as depression. Consequently, the degree to which PCS is specific to or caused by mTBI is still debated. With the present study we aim to investigate the nature of PCS in greater detail by looking whether PCS is specific to mTBI, and the extent to which these symptoms and related factors (depression, anxiety, daytime sleepiness and cognitive failures) exist in the non-mTBI population. Method An online survey was sent to University staff and students. Included in this survey were the Rivermead Post Concussion Questionnaire (RPQ), Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), along with demographic questions and those related to the mTBI sustained. PCS was diagnosed as 3 or more symptoms within DSM-IV criteria. Results The survey created a database of 375 entries, 127 for mTBI and 248 controls (no history of mTBI). Within these groups the proportion of individuals experiencing PCS symptoms was not statistically different (39% for mTBI, 32% for control; Chi squared p=0.2), and there was no group difference for the RPQ, HADS or ESS. However, respondents with a history of mTBI showed significantly higher CFQ scores (p<0.001) than controls. In contrast, when split by PCS diagnosis, those with PCS revealed significantly greater scores for all questionnaires (p<0.001). When split into subgroups (mTBI+PCS, mTBI-PCS, Control+PCS, Control-PCS), a similar pattern was observed. The two groups with PCS both had greater scores for the RPQ, CFQ and HADS than both groups without PCS (p<0.005). There was only one difference when comparing the two groups with mTBI to those without (CFQ: mTBI+PCS greater than Control+PCS (p<0.05)). The ESS score for Control+PCS was greater when compared to both groups without PCS (mTBI-PCS (p<0.01); Control-PCS (p