| 1. |
- Engström, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Losing the identity of a hockey player : the long-term effects of concussions
- 2020
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Ingår i: Concussion. - : Future Medicine. - 2056-3299. ; 5:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To describe what suffering multiple concussions meant for former semi-professional or professional hockey players who were forced to end their career. Results: Nine former Swedish hockey players, who once played on national or professional teams were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed with reference to hermeneutic phenomenology to interpret and explain their experiences. The theme of losing one’s identity as a hockey player was constructed from five subthemes: being limited in everyday life, returning to the hockey stadium as soon as possible, forming a post career identity, lacking understanding and support, and preventing injuries by respecting other players. Conclusion: The former hockey players struggled with developing their off-the-ice identities and with finding other sources of meaning for their lives.Lay abstractDespite considerable attention to improving the initial management of concussions suffered by hockey players, few studies have examined their long-term effects. In response, the study reported here aimed to describe what suffering multiple concussions meant for former semi-professional or professional hockey players who were forced to end their career. Nine former Swedish hockey players, who once played on national or professional teams were interviewed and the interviews were analyzed in order to interpret and explain their experiences. The overall theme was formulated as losing one’s identity as a hockey player. In conclusion, the former hockey players seem to struggle with developing their off-the-ice identities and with finding other sources of meaning for their lives.
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| 2. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Association of Plasma Biomarker Levels With Their CSF Concentration and the Number and Severity of Concussions in Professional Athletes
- 2022
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 99:4, s. E347-E354
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and Objectives To examine whether the brain biomarkers total-tau (T-tau), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and beta-amyloid (A beta) isomers 40 and 42 in plasma relate to the corresponding concentrations in CSF, blood-brain barrier integrity, and duration of postconcussion syndrome (PCS) due to repetitive head impacts (RHIs) in professional athletes. Method In this cross-sectional study, professional athletes with persistent PCS due to RHI (median of 1.5 years after recent concussion) and uninjured controls were assessed with blood and CSF sampling. The diagnosis of PCS was based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition). The athletes were enrolled through information flyers about the study sent to the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and the SHL Medicine Committee. The controls were enrolled through flyers at University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden. The participants underwent lumbar puncture and blood assessment at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The main outcome measures were history of RHI and PCS severity (PCS >1 year vs PCS <1 year) in relation to plasma and CSF concentrations of T-tau, GFAP, A beta 40, and A beta 42. Plasma T-tau, GFAP, A beta 40, and A beta 42 were quantified using an ultrasensitive assay technology. Results A total of 47 participants (28 athletes [median age 28 years, range 18-52] with persistent PCS due to RHI and 19 controls [median age, 25 years, range 21-35]) underwent paired blood and CSF sampling. T-tau, A beta 40, and A beta 42 concentrations measured in plasma did not correlate with the corresponding CSF concentrations, while there was a correlation between plasma and CSF levels of GFAP (r = 0.45, p = 0.020). There were no significant relationships between plasma T-tau, GFAP, and blood-brain barrier integrity as measured by the CSF:serum albumin ratio. T-tau, GFAP, A beta 40, and A beta 42 measured in plasma did not relate to PCS severity. None of the markers measured in plasma correlated with number of concussions, except decreased A beta 42 in those with higher number of concussions (r = -0.40, p = 0.04). Discussion T-tau, GFAP, A beta 40, and A beta 42 measured in plasma do not correspond to CSF measures and may have limited utility for the evaluation of the late effects of RHI, compared with when measured in CSF. Classification of Evidence This study provides Class III evidence that in professional athletes with postconcussion symptoms, plasma concentrations of T-tau, GFAP, A beta 40, and A beta 42 are not informative in the diagnosis of late effects of repetitive head injuries.
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| 3. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Astroglial activation and altered amyloid metabolism in human repetitive concussion
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : American Academy of Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 88:15, s. 1400-1407
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To determine whether postconcussion syndrome (PCS) due to repetitive concussive traumatic brain injury (rcTBI) is associated with CSF biomarker evidence of astroglial activation, amyloid deposition, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) impairment.Methods: A total of 47 participants (28 professional athletes with PCS and 19 controls) were assessed with lumbar puncture (median 1.5 years, range 0.25–12 years after last concussion), standard MRI of the brain, and Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ). The main outcome measures were CSF concentrations of astroglial activation markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP] and YKL-40), markers reflecting amyloid precursor protein metabolism (Aβ38, Aβ40, Aβ42, sAPPα, and sAPPβ), and BBB function (CSF:serum albumin ratio).Results: Nine of the 28 athletes returned to play within a year, while 19 had persistent PCS >1 year. Athletes with PCS >1 year had higher RPQ scores and number of concussions than athletes with PCS <1 year. Median concentrations of GFAP and YKL-40 were higher in athletes with PCS >1 year compared with controls, although with an overlap between the groups. YKL-40 correlated with RPQ score and the lifetime number of concussions. Athletes with rcTBI had lower concentrations of Aβ40 and Aβ42 than controls. The CSF:serum albumin ratio was unaltered.Conclusions: This study suggests that PCS may be associated with biomarker evidence of astroglial activation and β-amyloid (Aβ) dysmetabolism in the brain. There was no clear evidence of Aβ deposition as Aβ40 and Aβ42 were reduced in parallel. The CSF:serum albumin ratio was unaltered, suggesting that the BBB is largely intact in PCS.
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| 4. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Blood biomarkers for brain injury in concussed professional ice hockey players
- 2014
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Ingår i: JAMA Neurology. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 2168-6149 .- 2168-6157. ; 71:6, s. 684-692
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IMPORTANCE Lack of objective biomarkers for brain damage hampers acute diagnosis and clinical decision making about return to play after sports-related concussion. OBJECTIVES To determine whether sports-related concussion is associated with elevated levels of blood biochemical markers of injury to the central nervous system and to assess whether plasma levels of these biomarkers predict return to play in professional ice hockey players with sports-related concussion. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Multicenter prospective cohort study involving all 12teams of the top professional ice hockey league in Sweden, the Swedish Hockey League. Two hundred eighty-eight professional ice hockey players from 12 teams contesting during the 2012-2013 season consented to participate. All players underwent clinical preseason baseline testing regarding concussion assessment measures. Forty-seven players from 2 of the 12 ice hockey teams underwent blood sampling prior to the start of the season. Thirty-five players had a concussion from September 13, 2012, to January 31, 2013; of these players, 28 underwent repeated blood sampling at 1, 12, 36, and 144 hours and when the players returned to play. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Total tau, S-100 calcium-binding protein B, and neuron-specific enolase concentrations in plasma and serum were measured.
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| 5. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Neurochemical Aftermath of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
- 2016
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Ingår i: JAMA Neurology. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 2168-6149 .- 2168-6157. ; 73:11, s. 1308-1315
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Importance:Evidence is accumulating that repeated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) incidents can lead to persistent, long-term debilitating symptoms and in some cases a progressive neurodegenerative condition referred to as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. However, to our knowledge, there are no objective tools to examine to which degree persistent symptoms after mTBI are caused by neuronal injury.Objective:To determine whether persistent symptoms after mTBI are associated with brain injury as evaluated by cerebrospinal fluid biochemical markers for axonal damage and other aspects of central nervous system injury.Design, Settings, and Participants:A multicenter cross-sectional study involving professional Swedish ice hockey players who have had repeated mTBI, had postconcussion symptoms for more than 3 months, and fulfilled the criteria for postconcussion syndrome (PCS) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) matched with neurologically healthy control individuals. The participants were enrolled between January 2014 and February 2016. The players were also assessed with Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire and magnetic resonance imaging.Main Outcomes and Measures:Neurofilament light protein, total tau, glial fibrillary acidic protein, amyloid β, phosphorylated tau, and neurogranin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid.Results:A total of 31 participants (16 men with PCS; median age, 31 years; range, 22-53 years; and 15 control individuals [11 men and 4 women]; median age, 25 years; range, 21-35 years) were assessed. Of 16 players with PCS, 9 had PCS symptoms for more than 1 year, while the remaining 7 returned to play within a year. Neurofilament light proteins were significantly increased in players with PCS for more than 1 year (median, 410 pg/mL; range, 230-1440 pg/mL) compared with players whose PCS resolved within 1 year (median, 210 pg/mL; range, 140-460 pg/mL) as well as control individuals (median 238 pg/mL, range 128-526 pg/mL; P = .04 and P = .02, respectively). Furthermore, neurofilament light protein concentrations correlated with Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire scores and lifetime concussion events (ρ = 0.58, P = .02 and ρ = 0.52, P = .04, respectively). Overall, players with PCS had significantly lower cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β levels compared with control individuals (median, 1094 pg/mL; range, 845-1305 pg/mL; P = .05).Conclusions and Relevance:Increased cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light proteins and reduced amyloid β were observed in patients with PCS, suggestive of axonal white matter injury and amyloid deposition. Measurement of these biomarkers may be an objective tool to assess the degree of central nervous system injury in individuals with PCS and to distinguish individuals who are at risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
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| 6. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Serum neurofilament light as a biomarker for mild traumatic brain injury in contact sports
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : American Academy of Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 88:19, s. 1788-1794
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate whether the axonal protein neurofilament light (NFL) in serum is a sensitive biomarker to detect subtle brain injury or concussion in contact sports athletes.Methods: Two prospective cohort studies involving (1) 14 Swedish amateur boxers who underwent fluid biomarker assessments at 7–10 days after bout and after 3 months of rest from boxing and (2) 35 Swedish professional hockey players who underwent blood biomarker assessment at 1, 12, 36, and 144 hours after concussion and when the players returned to play were performed. Fourteen healthy nonathletic controls and 12 athletic controls were also enrolled. Serum NFL was measured using ultrasensitive single molecule array technology.Results: Serum NFL concentrations were increased in boxers 7–10 days after bout as compared to the levels after 3 months rest as well as compared with controls (p = 0.0007 and p < 0.0001, respectively). NFL decreased following 3 months of rest, but was still higher than in controls (p < 0.0001). Boxers who received many (>15) hits to the head or were groggy after bout had higher concentrations of serum NFL as compared to those who received fewer hits to the head (p = 0.0023). Serum NFL increased over time in hockey players, and the levels returned to normal at return to play. Importantly, serum NFL could separate players with rapidly resolving postconcussion symptoms (PCS) from those with prolonged PCS.Conclusions: The results from these 2 independent cohort studies suggest that serum NFL is a highly sensitive biomarker for concussion.
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| 7. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Serum neurofilament light protein predicts clinical outcome in traumatic brain injury
- 2016
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Axonal white matter injury is believed to be a major determinant of adverse outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI). We hypothesized that measurement of neurofilament light protein (NF-L), a protein found in long white-matter axons, in blood samples, may serve as a suitable biomarker for neuronal damage in TBI patients. To test our hypotheses, we designed a study in two parts: i) we developed an immunoassay based on Single molecule array technology for quantification of NF-L in blood, and ii) in a proof-of-concept study, we tested our newly developed method on serial serum samples from severe TBI (sTBI) patients (n = 72) and controls (n = 35). We also compared the diagnostic and prognostic utility of NF-L with the established blood biomarker S100B. NF-L levels were markedly increased in sTBI patients compared with controls. NF-L at admission yielded an AUC of 0.99 to detect TBI versus controls (AUC 0.96 for S100B), and increased to 1.00 at day 12 (0.65 for S100B). Importantly, initial NF-L levels predicted poor 12-month clinical outcome. In contrast, S100B was not related to outcome. Taken together, our data suggests that measurement of serum NF-L may be useful to assess the severity of neuronal injury following sTBI.
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| 8. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Serum tau fragments predict return to play in concussed professional ice hockey players
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurotrauma. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 0897-7151 .- 1557-9042. ; 33:22, s. 1995-1999
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of sports-related concussion is mainly based on subjective clinical symptoms and neuropsychological tests. Thus, reliable brain injury biomarkers to assess when it is safe to return to play are highly desirable. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of two newly described tau fragments for diagnosis and prognosis of sports-related concussions Materials and Methods: This multicenter prospective cohort study involved all 12 teams of the top professional ice hockey league in Sweden. A total of 288 players consented to participate in the study. Thirty-five players sustained concussions, of whom 28 underwent repeated blood samplings at 1, 12, 36, and 144 hours after the trauma, or when the player returned to play (7- > 90 days). RESULTS: There was no significant increase in the levels of tau-A in post-concussion samples compared with preseason values. However, serum levels of tau-C were significantly higher in post-concussion samples compared with preseason. Further, levels of Tau-A correlated with the duration of post-concussive symptoms. DISCUSSION: Tau-A in serum, which is newly discovered biomarker, could be used to predict when it is safe to return to play after a sports-related concussion.
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| 9. |
- Shahim, Pashtun, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Serum visinin-like protein-1 in concussed professional ice hockey players
- 2015
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Ingår i: Brain Injury. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0269-9052 .- 1362-301X. ; 29:7-8, s. 872-876
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Primary objective: Visinin-like protein-1 (VILIP-1) has shown potential utility as a biomarker for neuronal injury in cerebrospinal fluid. This study investigated serum VILIP-1 as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in sports-related concussion. Methods: This multi-centre prospective cohort study involved the 12 teams of the professional ice hockey league in Sweden. A total of 288 players consented to participate in the study. Thirty-five players sustained concussions, of whom 28 underwent repeated blood samplings at 1, 12, 36 and 144 hours after the trauma or when the player returned to play (7-90+ days). Main outcomes and results: The highest levels of VILIP-1 were measured 1 hour after concussion and the levels decreased during rehabilitation, reaching a minimum level at the 36-hour sampling. However, the levels of serum VILIP-1 at 1 hour after concussion were not significantly higher than pre-season baseline values. Serum levels of VILIP-1 1 hour post-concussion did not correlate with-the number of days for the concussion symptoms to resolve. Further, serum levels of VILIP-1 increased after a friendly game in players who were not concussed. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that serum VILIP-1 may not be a useful biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of sports-related concussion.
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| 10. |
- Siman, Robert, et al.
(författare)
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Serum SNTF Increases in Concussed Professional Ice Hockey Players and Relates to the Severity of Post-Concussion Symptoms
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurotrauma. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 0897-7151 .- 1557-9042. ; 32:17, s. 1294-1300
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biomarkers for diffuse axonal injury could have utilities for the acute diagnosis and clinical care of concussion, including those related to sports. The calpain-derived alpha-spectrin N-terminal fragment SNTF accumulates in axons after traumatic injury, and increases in human blood following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in relation to white matter abnormalities and persistent cognitive dysfunction. However, SNTF has never been evaluated as a biomarker for sports-related concussion. Here, we conducted longitudinal analysis of serum SNTF in professional ice hockey players, 28 of whom had a concussion, along with 45 players evaluated during the preseason, 17 of whom were also tested after a concussion-free training game. Compared to preseason levels, serum SNTF increased at 1 hour after concussion and remained significantly elevated from 12 hours to 6 days, before declining to preseason baseline. In contrast, serum SNTF levels were unchanged after training. In eight players, post-concussion symptoms resolved within a few days, and in these cases serum SNTF levels were at baseline. On the other hand, for the 20 players withheld from play for 6 days or longer, serum SNTF levels rose from 1 hour to 6 days post-concussion, and at 12-36 hours differed significantly from the less severe concussions (p=.004). Serum SNTF exhibited diagnostic accuracy for concussion, especially so with delayed return to play (AUC = 0.87). Multivariate analyses of serum SNTF and tau improved the diagnostic accuracy, the relationship with the delay in return to play, and the temporal window beyond tau alone. These results provide evidence that blood SNTF, a biomarker for axonal injury after mTBI, may be useful for diagnosis and prognosis of sports-related concussion, and for guiding neurobiologically-informed decisions on return to play
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