title: Early intervention for patients at risk for persisting disability after mild traumatic brain injury: a randomized, controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of an early intervention visit in addition to written information and treatment as usual for patients with an estimated high risk for persisting disability after a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-three patients, aged 15-70 years with a Glasgow coma scale of 14-15 were included. All received written information about MTBI. Ninety-seven patients who reported three or more symptoms according to the rivermead post-concussion symptoms questionnaire (RPQ) at 10 days after the injury were considered as high-risk patients and were randomized to either early visit to a doctor or to treatment as usual (TAU); all patients including the 76 low-risk patients were followed-up at 3 months. Completion rate was 83%. Outcome measures included RPQ and the hospital anxiety and depression scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RPQ symptoms decreased significantly in both randomized groups, but were not significantly different in the groups at 3 months. At 3 months, anxiety and depression scores did not differ between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An early intervention, offered to patients with an estimated high risk for persisting disability, had no additional effect on symptom level at 3 months after MTBI as compared to TAU.
authors: Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. giedre.matuseviciene@ds.se
authors: Giedre
authors: G
authors: Matuseviciene
authors: Jörgen
authors: J
authors: Borg
authors: Britt-Marie
authors: BM
authors: Stålnacke
authors: Trandur
authors: T
authors: Ulfarsson
authors: Catharina
authors: C
authors: de Boussard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D061345:Early Medical Intervention; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D038223:Post-Concussion Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology