Selective Head-neck Cooling Following Concussion Shortens Return-to-play in Ice Hockey Players
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Region Skane
- Enrollment
- 81
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- return-to-play
Overview
Brief Summary
The incidence of Sports-related concussions (SRCs) has risen in recent years, not least in ice hockey, and available treatment options are limited. Here, we addressed the hypotheses that immediate controlled head- and neck cooling could hasten return-to-play in a Swedish cohort of concussed professional ice hockey players. Over three seasons, 15 teams used either immediate head- and neck cooling or standard management for SRC. All players (81) followed the same return-to-play management protocol.
Detailed Description
Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are a growing health concern, since they may lead to persistent symptoms and, particularly if repeated, to e.g. depression, accelerated dementia onset, and development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Here, we addressed the hypotheses that immediate controlled head- and neck cooling could hasten return-to-play in a Swedish cohort of concussed professional ice hockey players. Over three seasons, 15 teams used either immediate head- and neck cooling or standard management for SRC. All players followed the same return-to-play management protocol. Using a baseline questionnaire, no difference in the number of previous SRCs between groups was observed. In total, 92 SRCs were recorded. Eleven players did not complete the study protocol, and thus 81 players were included. Of these, 29 were treated by immediate selective head- and neck cooling for ≥ 30 min, and 52 controls received standard acute SRC management.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Elite ice hockey players diagnosed by a team physician to have suffered a sports-related concussion. Selective head-neck cooling following the concussion. Duration of cooling a minimum of 45 minutes.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Presence of red flags (loss of consciousness, seizure, worsening headache, repeated vomiting, focal neurological deficits, neck pain, tingling in arms). Inability to tolerate cooling for a minimum of 30 minutes. Age \<18 years old.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
return-to-play
Time Frame: two weeks
The primary endpoint of the study was time (in days) from concussion until returning to full practice or game
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported