More than 30 independent concussion clinicians and researchers from around the United States gathered in Pittsburgh this week to propose guidelines for treating concussions and to outline areas in which further research is warranted. On Friday, representatives of the invited group shared key outcomes of the meeting.
“First and foremost, the 37 leaders in attendance were 100 percent in agreement that concussion is a treatable injury,” said Micky Collins, Ph.D., executive and clinical director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and co-chairman of the conference.
Collins explained that this basic premise is particularly significant given the results of a recent Harris poll conducted on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which found that one in three parents fear their child will suffer a concussion and most do not realize the injury is treatable.
“A more active approach to treating concussion is warranted,” Collins said.
Collins also noted that the assembled experts agreed that various clinical profiles exist when it comes to concussion, meaning that while the injury has differing presentations, there are several identifiable patterns to the injury: “We are now able to match treatments to these clinical profiles.”
Meeting invitee Dr. Javier Cardenas, director of the Barrow Concussion and Brain Injury Center in Phoenix noted the shift in approach that the expert group advocates, saying, “We are moving from a management model of, ‘Let’s not make the patient worse’ to a treatment model of, ‘Let’s make the patient better.'”
Representatives from multiple disciplines were represented at the meeting, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, physiatrists, emergency medicine and primary care physicians, neuropsychologists, athletic trainers and physical therapists as well as representatives from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Defense Department. The group spent the first day sharing best practices based on clinical expertise and research while also identifying areas in need of further study.
Among those in attendance was Julian Bailes, M.D., chairman of Neurosurgery at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Chicago and chairman of the medical advisory board for Pop Warner Football. He noted the groundbreaking nature of the conference but emphasized there is more work ahead.
“This was an outstanding conference, which reached consensus: We now recognize different types of concussion and believe it is a treatable injury,” Dr. Bailes said, adding, “The next step is conducting clinical trials to study and measure current and emerging concussion treatments.”
Dr. Richard G. Ellenbogen, co-chairman of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee, echoed Bailes’ sentiment on studying treatment: “We believe there are treatments that will hasten the recovery from concussion, and the time is now to research more active forms of rehabilitation that could help athletes and others across society.”
The two-day meeting was fully funded by a grant from the NFL Foundation.
“We are pleased to support thought leaders in this space to advance the science around concussion,” said Jeff Miller, NFL Senior Vice President of Health and Safety Policy. “As a result of these experts, treatment will improve.”
The group intends to publish a summary of their key points of agreement in the medical journal Neurosurgery within the next quarter.
By Stephania Bell of ESPN Fantasy Sports
