Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40598804›Full record

ArticleJournal of rehabilitation medicine2025

Examining and comparing the clinical characteristics of adults with persisting post-concussion symptoms presenting for outpatient rehabilitation following a mild traumatic brain injury or a minimal head injury.

Linda Fordal, Grant L Iverson, Julia E Maietta, Alexander Olsen, Cathrine Einarsen, Simen B Saksvik, Toril Skandsen

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of rehabilitation medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Linda FordalDepartment of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Clinic of Rehabilitation, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. linda.fordal@ntnu.no.
Grant L IversonDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and the Schoen Adams Research Institute at Spaulding Rehabilitation, Charlestown, MA, USA; Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, USA; Mass General for Children Sports Concussion Program, Waltham, MA, USA.
Julia E MaiettaDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and the Schoen Adams Research Institute at Spaulding Rehabilitation, Charlestown, MA, USA; Mass General for Children Sports Concussion Program, Waltham, MA, USA.
Alexander OlsenClinic of Rehabilitation, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Cathrine EinarsenDepartment of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Clinic of Rehabilitation, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Simen B SaksvikClinic of Rehabilitation, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Research and Development, St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Toril SkandsenDepartment of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Clinic of Rehabilitation, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveFirst, to describe a clinical sample with persisting post-concussion symptoms after a mild injury to the head. Second, to explore whether patients who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury differed from those with a minimal head injury (no loss of consciousness, no post-traumatic amnesia, no neuroimaging findings).

designCross-sectional clinic-referred sample. SUBJECTS: 178 adult patients with persisting post-concussion symptoms referred to outpatient rehabilitation.

methodsMain outcome measures were Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire, Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended, and Return-to-work status.

resultsIn the total sample, previous health problems, daily headaches, fatigue, and depressive symptoms were frequent. Most had functional disability on the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended and had not returned to full-time work. The mean Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire total score was 29. Only 5 patients had intracranial traumatic injuries. Some 45% had sustained a minimal head injury. Patients with minimal head injury and mild traumatic brain injury had different causes of injury and acute care but were comparable regarding symptom burden and functional limitations.

conclusionClinicians treating persisting post-concussion symptoms may need to target physiological, psychological, and social factors. Many had an injury too mild to meet criteria for a traumatic brain injury, but the clinical phenotype was similar, supporting further research on the mildest head injuries.

Indexed as

Brain ConcussionCraniocerebral TraumaPost-Concussion SyndromeAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGlasgow Outcome ScaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedReturn to WorkSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID40598804
PMCPMC12235567

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.