Short-term inflammation processes are commonplace following traumatic brain injuries (TBI), as they are a normal defense mechanism the body elicits to heal itself. However, when prolonged or chronic, inflammation can become detrimental. One inflammatory cytokine, Interleukin-6, has been shown to be increased in cerebrospinal fluid and blood post-TBI. In other non-TBI related clinical studies, Interleukin-6 has been associated with pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression. In this study, we examined whether plasma levels of interleukin-6 were associated with a higher symptom levels of four symptoms (headache, fatigue, sleep disturbance and depression) in the post-acute phase in patients with mild TBIs. To answer this question, secondary data analysis from a study that is currently underway was used. In the parent study, interested participants were enrolled from the Harborview Medical Center ED if they were 21-54 years of age, had sustained a mild TBI within the last 24 hours, and met other inclusion/exclusion criteria which would have impacted the immune response. Endorsement of symptoms and total symptom burden at 3 and 6 months was measured using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Questionnaire. Interleukin-6 levels at 3 and 6 months post-injury were obtained from banked plasma samples using a multiplex assay (Millipore, Minneapolis, MN). The sample (N=84) had a mean age of 34.7 years (SD 9.4). At 3 months post-injury the percent of patients endorsing symptoms as a problem were, 35.9% for headaches, 44.9% for sleep disturbance, 50% for fatigue and 32% for feelings of depression. At 6 months, the percentage reporting the symptom was higher for headaches (38.2%). Data analysis is currently underway using chi-squared tests and regression analysis to assess for the association between Interleukin-6 levels. If such an association is shown, this understanding of disease progression in mild TBIs could bring new treatment modalities to the medical realm concerning chronic inflammation.

Mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) affect millions every year. Symptoms are typically transient in nature but recovery time can span weeks to months. The neurobehavioral disturbances resulting from MTBI are associated with lower functional outcomes. Research suggests that well-developed social support networks contributes to improved health outcomes. However, less is understood regarding the existence of a relationship between social support networks and MTBI outcomes specifically. The objective of this study is to establish whether or not there is a relationship between social support availability and perceived symptom burden after MTBI. This study is a secondary analysis of data captured by the AIm:TBI study, which tests whether poorer outcomes from TBI in older adult survivors are associated with an altered post-traumatic immune response. In the parent study, participants were enrolled from the ED if they were 21-54 years of age and had sustained a MTBI within the last 24 hours (N=78). Social support was measured by the MOS-Social Support Scale (range 19-95; higher scores mean more social support). Endorsement of symptoms and total symptom burden at 3 and 6 months was measured using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Questionnaire (range 0-64; higher scores mean more burden). At baseline, the average social support score was 79.7 (SD 14.9). At 3 and 6 months post-injury the mean total symptom burden was 16.2 (SD 14.4) and 15.5 (SD 15.0) respectively. Analysis of the relationship between the two includes the assessment of relative influence of the type of social support received on symptoms. If the results of this study suggest that there is an inverse relationship between the severity of an individual’s symptoms after MTBI and the quality of their social support network, it may justify the development of interventions to increase social support in specific areas in order to facilitate better outcomes for MTBI patients.