Hypertension linked to longer concussion recovery, post-concussion syndrome

Key takeaways:

• Researchers analyzed 422 persons with and without hypertension who received concussion care.
• The study found a significant relationship between hypertension and extended concussion recovery period.

PHILADELPHIA — A hypertension diagnosis in those who suffered a concussion was linked to longer recovery periods compared to those without, and was associated with likelihood of post-concussion syndrome, according to a poster presentation.

“Literature right now is unclear on how hypertension or elevated body mass index might relate to patients with a concussion,” Sara Hyman, BS, a research coordinator in the department of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told Healio at the American Neurological Association annual meeting. “A lot of underserved Americans are unable to get concussion care who also have hypertension and elevated BMI.”

Hyman and colleagues examined the associations between hypertension and elevated BMI with symptoms of concussion in those who sustained head injuries, along with persistence of symptoms for the duration of follow-up care.

Their study included 422 individuals who received outpatient care for concussion at the NYU Langone Health Concussion Center between September 2013 and August 2022. The patients had no prior history of concussion, did not sustain a second concussion between follow-up visits or had their first visit to the center within 6 months prior to study analysis. Participants had hypertension measured by either previous official diagnosis or prescribed specific medication for blood pressure, as well as a hypertension diagnosis prior to their initial visit. BMI was assessed either by binary guideline (less than 25; equal to or greater than 25) or by continuous BMI value during the center visit. Outcome variables included total days between concussive event and final clinical follow-up, total number of follow-up visits, whether a follow-up was recommended at final visit or a diagnosis of post-concussion syndrome.

Relationships between hypertension, BMI and concussion symptoms were analyzed by both univariate and multivariate regression models and stratified according to age, sex, race, gender and mechanism of injury.

Researchers found that hypertension may be a significant risk factor for increased duration of recovery from concussion symptoms, on average 465 days for those with a hypertension diagnosis compared with an average recovery time of 240 for those without hypertension. Data also showed a relationship between hypertension and likelihood of being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome and revealed that elevated BMI presented a similar but less conclusive pattern of risk for longer concussion recovery.

“Controlling for demographic factors and mechanism of injury, we found there was a persistent relationship between hypertension with increased duration of symptoms following concussion,” Hyman told Healio.