An analysis of Swedish hockey players discovered that measuring tau protein levels in a person’s bloodstream could help diagnose concussions and accurately predict the persistence of symptoms, according to a study published in JAMA Neurology.
For their study, researchers took blood samples from 288 Swedish hockey players after a friendly hockey game. They also took a similar blood draw when a player suffered a head injury during a professional game. 28 of the 288 players suffered a concussion, and when comparing their blood samples to the baseline average, researchers found:
- Total tau levels in players with a concussion averaged 10 pg/mL, which was more than double the baseline average of 4.5 pg/mL.
- By analyzing the area under the receiver operating curve for elevated total tau, researchers were able to predict which individuals had a higher likelihood of experiencing persistent symptoms six days post injury.
According to Dr. Jeffery Bazarian, tau proteins are only released from neurons in the central nervous system, and an elevated presence signals that something is out of order.
“Concussions result in the release of proteins that go from the brain into the blood,” Bazarian said. “This is going to be how we tell if someone has had a concussion, just like we use proteins to tell us if someone has had a heart attack or a blood clot in the lung.”
Bazarian concluded by saying he believes protein testing may be the next big thing in preventing, diagnosing and treating concussions.
“Keep your eye out for this, this is going to be the wave of the future.”
Dr. Silverman comments
This is a great new development, as CT scans are often negative and expose patients to unneeded radiation. Cognitive testing has been championed, but unfortunately it is unreliable in children as their cognitive levels are constantly changing.
A blood test like this reminds a me of when we started testing for Tropinin levels and were finally able to detect myocardial infractions (heart attacks) even when an EKG was normal.
A test that is predictive of the amount of damage will be great to give parents, coaches, doctors and other people an idea of how to self-regulate.
I am so excited to see the follow up in the medical community.
Related source: Jama MedPage Today