Longitudinal pain intensity and interference symptomatology in mild traumatic brain injury: a TRACK-TBI study

An estimated 50% to 75% of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) report chronic pain. Symptomatology evolution, subtypes, and risk factors remain poorly understood. We evaluated patient-reported pain intensity and interference with daily function in a longitudinal U.S. mTBI cohort. The Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury Study prospectively enrolled patients with TBI across 18 trauma centers who received head computed tomography (CT) within 24 hours post-injury. Subjects aged ≥17 years with arrival Glasgow Coma Scale = 13 to 15, Marshall CT Score = 1 to 2, and PROMIS-Pain Intensity and Interference assessments at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months post-injury were included. Subjects with cranial surgery, major extracranial injury, or pre-injury musculoskeletal pain were excluded. Healthy controls (HCs) completed assessments at all timepoints. Pain assessment T-scores were compared using mixed-effect linear regressions. Adjusted mean differences (aMDs; [95% confidence intervals]) were reported. In 906 subjects (mTBI = 710, HC = 196), mean age was 39.6 ± 16.7-years, 64% were male, and 75% were White/Caucasian. In subjects with mTBI, 35% were CT positive, ≥80% reported pain intensity or interference symptoms at 2 weeks post-injury, and <20% received TBI care postdischarge. Compared with HCs, CT-negative subjects had statistically elevated pain intensity (aMD; 2 weeks: +12.8 [10.9-14.6], 3 months: +4.6 [2.7-6.6], 6 months: +3.4 [1.4-5.4], 12 months: +2.7 [0.7-4.7]) and interference (aMD; 2 weeks: +12.3 [10.7-13.9], 3 months: +4.6 [3.0-6.2], 6 months: +3.1 [1.4-4.8], 12 months: +2.1 [0.4-3.8]). Similarly vs HCs, CT-positive subjects had statistically elevated pain intensity (aMD; 2 weeks: +12.5 [10.4-14.6], 3 months: +3.8 [1.7-5.9], 6 months: +2.8 [0.6-5.0], 12 months: +2.4 [0.2-4.6]) and interference (aMD; 2 weeks: +11.7 [9.9-13.5], 3 months: +4.0, [2.2-5.8], 6 months: +2.9 [1.1-4.7], and 12 months: +2.2 [0.3-4.0]). Pain intensity and daily interference symptoms remained longitudinally elevated in patients with mTBI. The majority did not receive follow-up care for TBI, underscoring opportunities for preventative and therapeutic interventions.