Acute Effects of Concussion in Youth With Pre-existing Migraines

Objective: To examine associations between pre-existing migraines and postconcussion symptoms and cognitive performance acutely (within 72 hours) after a suspected concussion. Design: Nested case–control study. Setting: High schools in Maine, USA. Participants: From a sample of 39 161 adolescent athletes who underwent baseline preseason testing, 633 were assessed within 3 days of a suspected concussion. Of these, 59 reported a history of treatment for migraines at baseline (9.3%). These athletes were individually matched to 2 athletes who had a suspected concussion but denied preinjury migraines (total N = 177; age: M = 15.8, SD = 1.3). Assessment of Risk Factors: Self-reported history of treatment for migraines by a physician. Main Outcome Measures: Post-Concussion Symptom Scale total score, ImPACT composite scores, and individual symptom endorsement. Results: Individuals with a pre-existing migraine disorder endorsed greater symptom severity (M = 8.4, SD = 9.9) compared with controls (M = 4.5, SD = 6.5; Cohen's d = 0.47) at preinjury baseline and acutely after suspected injury (migraine: M = 26.0, SD = 25.5; controls: M = 16.7, SD = 15.4; d = 0.44). Acutely after a suspected concussion, greater proportions of athletes with migraine disorders reported mental fogginess (49.2% vs 33.9%) and memory problems (39.0% vs 24.6%; P
Source: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Original Research Source Type: research