No significant moderators identified for the association, possibly due to small number of studies included<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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TUESDAY, Jan. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) — There is a significant association between persistent postconcussion symptoms (PPCS) and depression, according to a meta-analysis published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Maude Lambert, Ph.D., from the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between depressive symptoms and PPCS in children, adolescents, and adults and to examine potential moderators of the association. PPCS was defined as physician-diagnosed or self-reported concussion, with symptoms lasting at least four weeks. Data were obtained from 18 studies with 9,101 participants.<\/p>\n All the studies were cohort studies; 13 included adult populations. There was a mean of 21.3 weeks since concussion. The researchers found that the random-effects meta-analysis identified a significant association between PPCS and depression symptoms (odds ratio, 4.56) after accounting for potential publication bias. No significant moderators were identified, possibly due to the small number of studies.<\/p>\n “Gaining further knowledge on PPCS and identifying target variables that improve long-term outcomes are critical to inform the development of optimal concussion care plans,” the authors write. “With the high annual prevalence rates, concussions must remain a priority in clinical research, and efforts to better understand, monitor, and mitigate their adverse long-term consequences are needed.”<\/p>\n