Saliva Biomarkers May Help Predict Post-Concussion Syndrome in Youth

Biomarkers in saliva may help identify youth who are likely to take more time to recover following a concussion, according to astudy published in JAMA Pediatrics.Steven Hicks, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Penn State College of Medicine found that measuring the salivary levels of five microRNAs (miRNAs) —small, noncoding RNA molecules that influence protein production throughout the body—can identify children with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) with about 85% accuracy. In comparison, the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT3), the tool currently used to determine PCS, was about 65% accurate.“The miRNAs associated with PCS have potential utility as a toolset for facilitating concussion management,” Hicks and colleagues wrote. “This tool could ease parental anxiety about expected symptom duration. An objective PCS tool could also inform clinical recommendations about return-to-play and school-based accommodations.”Hicks and his team took saliva samples and performed SCAT3 assessments on 52 youth aged 7 to 21 who had recently had a concussion. The participants were re-evaluated with SCAT3 after four weeks, and patients with symptom scores of 5 or more were designated as having PCS; 30 of the participants met the criteria for PCS.The researchers analyzed over 400 miRNAs from the patient saliva samples and identified 15 miRNA that were expressed differently among youth with and without PCS. With additional analysis, the researchers narrowed in on a set of five miRNA...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: concussion JAMA Pediatrics miRNA post-concussion syndrome saliva Sport Concussion Assessment Tool Steven Hicks Source Type: research