Comparing Time to Recovery Between Initial and Repeat Concussion in Athletes.

Abstract

Objective: Compare time to recovery between initial and repeat concussions.

Design: Retrospective review of electronic medical record.

Setting: An interdisciplinary concussion clinic.

Patients: Fifty patients (14.4 years old [±2.5]; 24 [48%] female) who sustained >1 concussion between 2016 and 2020 and were evaluated within 30 days of their concussion.

Intervention: Injuries were divided into first, second, and/or last concussions.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was time to recovery, as defined by clearance for return to sport. This was compared between first versus second concussion (primary analysis) and first versus last concussion (secondary analysis) using Cox regression. Multivariable models accounted for time from concussion to initial clinic visit and Sport Concussion Assessment Tool symptom severity score at initial encounter. Sensitivity analyses explored potential influences of initial encounter timing and interval between concussions.

Results: Time to recovery did not differ between initial and repeat concussion in univariate or multivariable models (HR = 1.02, 95% CI, 0.65-1.62, P = 0.92; HR = 1.01, 95% CI, 0.64-1.62, P = 0.91 for multivariable models comparing first (ref) versus second and first (ref) versus last concussion, respectively). Similar results were obtained in sensitivity analyses stratifying by time to initial visit (≤7 days vs >7 days) or time between injuries (≤1 year vs >1 year).

Conclusions: There were no differences in time to recovery between initial and repeat concussions sustained by the same athlete. A nonsignificant trend of shorter recovery after repeat concussions was observed for patients presenting within 1 week of injury and when repeat injuries occurred within 1 year.