• Leeor Eliyahu, Scott Kirkland, Sandy Campbell, and Brian H Rowe.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
• Acad Emerg Med. 2016 May 1; 23 (5): 531-42.

ObjectivesConcussions or mild traumatic brain injury are a major public health concern accounting for 85% of all brain injuries. Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) has been found to affect between 15 and 25% of patients with concussion 1 year after the initial injury. The goal of this review is to assess the effectiveness of early educational information or interventions provided in the emergency department on the onset and/or severity of PCS.MethodsA comprehensive literature search strategy involving seven electronic databases was developed. A grey literature search of Google Scholar, recent conference proceedings in emergency medicine, bibliographies of included studies, and clinical trial registries was also performed. The citation list was reviewed independently by two reviewers; no restrictions on publication status or language of publication were applied. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale were used to assess quality.ResultsFrom 1,325 citations retrieved, four RCTs and one controlled clinical trial met inclusion criteria. Interventions identified in these studies included: educational information sheets, with or without telephone or in-person follow-up, and one study on bed rest. While rarely requested, one study offered referrals and additional treatment, if needed. None of the studies were deemed to be high quality. Heterogeneity among outcome reporting, follow-up dates and interventions used precluded a pooled analysis. Overall, only two of the five included studies involving adult patients receiving early educational interventions reported a significant improvement in PCS symptoms. No reduction in PCS symptoms was found in the study on bed rest interventions.ConclusionLimited evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of early educational interventions following concussion. Standardization of the interventions, outcome measures, and follow-up periods would make quantitative comparisons more valid. Moreover, higher-quality research in the field of early interventions for patients in the acute care setting is urgently required.© 2016 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

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