MINNEAPOLIS – With more than one million athletes now experiencing a concussion each year in the United States, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has released an evidence-based guideline for evaluating and managing athletes with concussion. This new guideline replaces the 1997 AAN guideline on the same topic. The new guideline is published in the March 18, 2013, online issue of Neurology® , the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, was developed through an objective evidence-based review of the literature by a multidisciplinary committee of experts and has been endorsed by a broad range of athletic, medical and patient groups.
"Among the most important recommendations the Academy is making is that any athlete suspected of experiencing a concussion immediately be removed from play," said co-lead guideline author Christopher C. Giza, MD, with the David Geffen School of Medicine and Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA and a member of the AAN. "We've moved away from the concussion grading systems we first established in 1997 and are now recommending concussion and return to play be assessed in each athlete individually. There is no set timeline for safe return to play."
The updated guideline recommends athletes with suspected concussion be immediately taken out of the game and not returned until assessed by a licensed health care professional trained in concussion, return to play slowly and only after all acute symptoms are gone. Athletes of high school age and younger with a concussion should be managed more conservatively in regard to return to play, as evidence shows that they take longer to recover than college athletes.
The guideline was developed reviewing all available evidence published through June 2012. These practice recommendations are based on an evaluation of the best available research. In recognition that scientific study and clinical care for sports concussions involves multiple specialties, a broad range of expertise was incorporated in the author panel. To develop this document, the authors spent thousands of work hours locating and analyzing scientific studies. The authors excluded studies that did not provide enough evidence to make recommendations, such as reports on individual patients or expert opinion. At least two authors independently analyzed and graded each study.
According to the guideline:
Signs and symptoms of a concussion include:
"If in doubt, sit it out," said Jeffrey S. Kutcher, MD, with the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor and a member of the AAN. "Being seen by a trained professional is extremely important after a concussion. If headaches or other symptoms return with the start of exercise, stop the activity and consult a doctor. You only get one brain; treat it well."
The guideline states that while an athlete should immediately be removed from play following a concussion, there is currently insufficient evidence to support absolute rest after concussion. Activities that do not worsen symptoms and do not pose a risk of repeat concussion may be part of concussion management.
The guideline is endorsed by the National Football League Players Association, the American Football Coaches Association, the Child Neurology Society, the National Association of Emergency Medical Service Physicians, the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Athletic Trainers Association and the Neurocritical Care Society.
To learn more about concussion, visit http://www.aan.com/concussion or download the Academy's new app, Concussion Quick Check, to quickly help coaches and athletic trainers recognize the signs of concussion.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
Editor's Note on Press Conference:
Drs. Giza and Kutcher will be available for media questions during a press conference at 11:00 a.m. PT/2:00 p.m. ET, on Monday, March 18, 2013, in Room 14B of the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. Please contact Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com , to receive conference call information for those reporters covering the press conference off-site.
Drs. Giza and Kutcher are also available for advance media interviews. Please contact Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com , to schedule an advance interview.
To access more than 2,300 non-Emerging Science abstracts to be presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com/go/am13/science . Advance copies of all Emerging Science abstracts to be presented at the Annual Meeting are available by contacting Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com .
Media Contacts:
Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com , (612) 928-6129
Michelle Uher, muher@aan.com , (612) 928-6120
Angela Babb, APR, ababb@aan.com , (612) 928-6102
Neurology