Hypersensitivity to Noise and Light Over 1 Year After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Study on Self-Reported Hypersensitivity and Its Influence on Long-Term Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate (1) the prevalence of self-reported sensory hypersensitivity (noise [NS] and light [LS]) over 1 year after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in adults and (2) the impact of NS and LS measured 2 weeks after injury on long-term outcomes 12 months postinjury, while controlling for postconcussion symptoms.

SETTING

Participants were recruited from 6 hospitals in the south of the Netherlands and were tested 4 times (2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postinjury), using self-report questionnaires.

PARTICIPANTS

In total, 186 mTBI participants (diagnosed using WHO [World Health Organization]/EFNS [European Federation of Neurological Societies] criteria at the neurology/emergency department) and 181 participants with a minor orthopedic injury in their extremities (control group).

DESIGN

An observational, longitudinal, multicenter cohort study.

MAIN MEASURES: NS and LS items (Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire) were used as main outcome variables to determine sensory hypersensitivity symptoms. Additional outcomes included anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and life satisfaction.

RESULTS

There was an elevated prevalence of NS and LS between 2 weeks and 3 months after injury in the mTBI group compared with controls. Approximately 3% of mTBI patients had persistent hypersensitivity symptoms during the whole course of the study. At 12 months postinjury, the mTBI and control groups did not differ in the prevalence of persistent hypersensitivity symptoms. There was no evidence of a predictive value of hypersensitivity within 2 weeks postinjury on anxiety, depression, HRQoL, or life satisfaction, 12 months later after controlling for postconcussion symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

These results not only confirm the presence of hypersensitivity symptoms after mTBI in the subacute stage but also provide assurance about the small size of the group that experiences persistent symptoms. Furthermore, there was no evidence that early NS and LS are uniquely associated with long-term emotional and quality-of-life outcomes, over and above general levels of postconcussion symptoms.