Association Between First Attempt Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test and Days to Recovery in 855 Children With Sport-Related Concussion: A Historical Cohort Study and Prognostic Factors Analysis

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about the prognostic value of the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test (BCTT) after the acute phase of sport-related concussion (SRC). We examined the added prognostic value of the BCTT performed 10 to 21 days after SRC in children, in addition to participant, injury, and clinical process characteristics on days to recovery. Design: Historical clinical cohort study. Setting: Network of approximately 150 Canadian multidisciplinary primary-care clinics. Participants: 855 children (mean age 14 years, range 6-17 years, 44% female) who presented between January 2016, and April 2019 with SRC. Assessment of risk factors: Participant, injury, and clinical process characteristics, with focus on BCTT exercise intolerance assessed 10 to 21 days after injury. Outcome: Days to clinical recovery. Results: Children who were exercise intolerant experienced an increase of 13 days to recovery (95% CI, 9-18 days). Each additional day between SRC and first BCTT was associated with a recovery delay of 1 day (95% CI, 1-2 days), and prior history of concussion was associated with a recovery delay of 3 days (95% CI, 1-5 days). Participant, injury, and clinical process characteristics, and the first attempt BCTT result explained 11% of the variation in recovery time, with 4% accounted for by the BCTT. Conclusion: Exercise-intolerance assessed 10 to 21 days after SRC was associated with delayed recovery. However, this was not a strong prognostic factor for days to recovery.