Early prediction of persisting post-concussion symptoms following mild and moderate XXXX .

@entity1 @entity308 @entity542 @entity2730 @entity130
OBJECTIVES: King (1996) reported that a combination of emotional, organic and neuropsychological measures taken at 7-10 days following mild and moderate @entity542 may significantly help predict @entity1 most likely to suffer persisting post-concussion symptoms (PCS) at three months @entity130 . This study investigated a cross-validation sample (N = 57) to determine whether the results would be replicated for the early prediction of longer-term sufferers (i.e. those with persisting symptoms at 6 months @entity130 ). DESIGN: Multiple regression analyses were used in which scores on the Hospital Anxiety and @entity308 Scale, Impact of Event Scale, Short Orientation Memory and Concentration Test, Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire and Post-Traumatic @entity2730 taken at 7-10 days @entity130 were the independent measures. Scoring on the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire taken at 6 months @entity130 was the dependent measure. METHODS: Sixty-six consecutive @entity1 admitted to any @entity130 ward in Oxfordshire with a mild or moderate @entity542 were recruited from a largescale randomized controlled sample. The assessment measures were administered at 7-10 days @entity130 and the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire at 6 months @entity130 . Nine @entity1 were unable to be followed up, leaving an active sample of 57. RESULTS: The cross-validation data confirmed that a similar combination of measures to that found in the original study best predicted persisting PCS but that the strength of prediction diminished for the longer term prediction (i.e. 6 months @entity130 ). CONCLUSIONS: The Hospital Anxiety and @entity308 Scale, Impact of Even Scale and Post-Traumatic @entity2730 in combination are recommended as useful prognostic screening instruments for predicting persisting PCS, but great caution is required if they are used to aid predictions beyond 3 months @entity130 .
