Postconcussive Symptom Reporting Among US Combat Veterans With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury From Operation Iraqi Freedom.

摘要

Objective: To examine the association between postconcussive symptoms and mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) among combat veterans while adjusting for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Patients: Military personnel with provider-diagnosed MTBI (n = 334) or non-head injury (n = 658) were identified from the Expeditionary Medical Encounter Database. Main Outcome Measures: Post-Deployment Health Assessments and Reassessments were used to examine postconcussive symptoms and self-rated health. Results: Personnel with MTBI were more likely to report headache (odds ratio OR) = 3.37; 95% confidence interval (CI 2.19:5.17), back pain (OR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.23:2.60), memory problems (OR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.20;2.88), tinnitus (OR = 1.63; 95% CI, 1.10;2.41), and dizziness (OR = 2.13; 95% CI, 1.06;4.29) compared with those with non-head injuries. Among those with MTBI, self-reported decline in health was associated with memory problems (OR = 5.07; 95% CI, 2.56;10.02) and dizziness (OR = 10.60; 95% CI, 3.48;32.27). Conclusions: MTBI is associated with reports of negative health consequences among combat veterans even when accounting for co-occurring psychological morbidity. The identification of postconcussive symptoms related to declines in a service member's self-rated health may be important in targeting and prioritizing clinical interventions.