NCT04685772

Brief Summary

This novel pilot project will assess the effectiveness of corticosteroids in treatment of acute post-concussion headache. The investigators hypothesize that the use of corticosteroids will cause significant headache reduction in frequency and/or intensity than individuals who undergo the current standard of care. Additionally, the investigators hypothesize that corticosteroid use will lead to a reduction in other somatic symptoms including vestibular symptoms, leading to quicker return to school, work, and/or ability to play sports.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
25

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for all trials

Timeline
7mo left

Started Apr 2021

Longer than P75 for all trials

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress90%
Apr 2021Dec 2026

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

December 22, 2020

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 28, 2020

Completed
3 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

April 1, 2021

Completed
4.7 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 1, 2025

Completed
1 year until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 1, 2026

Expected
Last Updated

November 12, 2024

Status Verified

November 1, 2024

Enrollment Period

4.7 years

First QC Date

December 22, 2020

Last Update Submit

November 8, 2024

Conditions

Keywords

MethylprednisoloneMedrol Dose PackSteroid

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change in headaches

    Defined as change in headache in response to medication

    1 Week

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Change in total Post Concussion Symptom (0-120) scores over time

    12 weeks

  • EQ-5D (Euro Qual Health State Questionnaire) score changes (1-100 in each category); higher score indicates better state of health in several domains.

    12 weeks

  • Diary of other medication use and pain level

    12 weeks

Interventions

The Methylprednisolone dose pack (Medrol Dose Pack) is pre-packaged with dosing instructions. This dose pack is tapered over 7 days and administration will be the following for all patients: Day 1 (total 24 milligrams (mg)) - 8mg before breakfast, 4mg after lunch and dinner, and 8mg at bedtime Day 2 (total 20mg) - 4mg before breakfast, after lunch and dinner, and 8mg at bedtime Day 3 (total 16mg) - 4mg before breakfast, lunch, dinner, and at bedtime Day 4 (total 12mg) - 4mg before breakfast, after lunch, and at bedtime Day 5 (total 8mg) - 4mg before breakfast and at bedtime Day 6 (total 4mg) - 4mg before breakfast Day 7 (total 0mg) - Completed

Also known as: No methylprednisolone

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
Sampling MethodNon-Probability Sample
Study Population

Patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be consented for the study. Patients will be recruited when they follow up on their initial appointment after hospitalization

You may qualify if:

  • Provision of signed and dated informed consent form (in person or via telehealth)
  • Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
  • Male or female, aged \>18 years old
  • Ability to take oral medication and be willing to adhere to the study regimen as described in this protocol
  • Patients presenting with all types of post-concussive headache with \>5/10 in severity on the numerical analog scale.
  • Headache that occurs for \> 4 hours per day
  • Headache that occurs every day
  • Headache that began after concussion, patient was diagnosed at an outpatient clinic or was hospitalized
  • Headache developed within 7 days post-injury and patient presenting within 30 days from initial trauma
  • A diagnosis of concussion.
  • If a patient is taking another pain medication, this still be included in the stud

You may not qualify if:

  • Any evidence of known intracranial hemorrhage on neuroimaging
  • Headache developing after 7 days post injury and patient presenting after 30 days from initial trauma
  • Headache occurs \< 4 hours per day
  • Headache does not occur daily
  • Age \< or = 18
  • Headache is \< 5 in severity on numerical analog scale
  • Presence of increase in intracranial pressure or papilledema
  • Any contraindication to corticosteroids
  • Allergy or sensitivity to corticosteroids
  • Active Tuberculosis
  • Active pregnancy
  • Currently on corticosteroids for another reason
  • Participants with fungal infection

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Northwell Health - North Shore University Hospital

Manhasset, New York, 11030, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (18)

  • Bulamu NB, Kaambwa B, Ratcliffe J. A systematic review of instruments for measuring outcomes in economic evaluation within aged care. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2015 Nov 9;13:179. doi: 10.1186/s12955-015-0372-8.

    PMID: 26553129BACKGROUND
  • Bramley H, Hong J, Zacko C, Royer C, Silvis M. Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-concussion Syndrome: Treatment and Related Sequela for Persistent Symptomatic Disease. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2016 Sep;24(3):123-9. doi: 10.1097/JSA.0000000000000111.

    PMID: 27482778BACKGROUND
  • Bramley H, Melinosky C, Silvis M, Ross S. Pediatric posttraumatic headache: two cases using steroids as abortive therapy. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2012 Oct;28(10):1081-4. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e31826ceeeb.

    PMID: 23034499BACKGROUND
  • Cushman DM, Borowski L, Hansen C, Hendrick J, Bushman T, Teramoto M. Gabapentin and Tricyclics in the Treatment of Post-Concussive Headache, a Retrospective Cohort Study. Headache. 2019 Mar;59(3):371-382. doi: 10.1111/head.13451. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

    PMID: 30451286BACKGROUND
  • Ducic I, Sinkin JC, Crutchfield KE. Interdisciplinary treatment of post-concussion and post-traumatic headaches. Microsurgery. 2015 Nov;35(8):603-7. doi: 10.1002/micr.22503. Epub 2015 Sep 26.

    PMID: 26409037BACKGROUND
  • EuroQol Group. EuroQol--a new facility for the measurement of health-related quality of life. Health Policy. 1990 Dec;16(3):199-208. doi: 10.1016/0168-8510(90)90421-9.

    PMID: 10109801BACKGROUND
  • Halstead ME. Pharmacologic Therapies for Pediatric Concussions. Sports Health. 2016 Jan-Feb;8(1):50-2. doi: 10.1177/1941738115622158.

    PMID: 26660460BACKGROUND
  • Hoshide R, Cheung V, Marshall L, Kasper E, Chen CC. Do corticosteroids play a role in the management of traumatic brain injury? Surg Neurol Int. 2016 Sep 13;7:84. doi: 10.4103/2152-7806.190439. eCollection 2016.

    PMID: 27656315BACKGROUND
  • Kacperski J. Pharmacotherapy for Persistent Posttraumatic Headaches in Children and Adolescents: A Brief Review of the Literature. Paediatr Drugs. 2018 Oct;20(5):385-393. doi: 10.1007/s40272-018-0299-8.

    PMID: 29876872BACKGROUND
  • King NS, Crawford S, Wenden FJ, Moss NE, Wade DT. The Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire: a measure of symptoms commonly experienced after head injury and its reliability. J Neurol. 1995 Sep;242(9):587-92. doi: 10.1007/BF00868811.

    PMID: 8551320BACKGROUND
  • Kuczynski A, Crawford S, Bodell L, Dewey D, Barlow KM. Characteristics of post-traumatic headaches in children following mild traumatic brain injury and their response to treatment: a prospective cohort. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2013 Jul;55(7):636-41. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.12152. Epub 2013 Apr 5.

    PMID: 23560811BACKGROUND
  • Larsen EL, Ashina H, Iljazi A, Al-Khazali HM, Seem K, Ashina M, Ashina S, Schytz HW. Acute and preventive pharmacological treatment of post-traumatic headache: a systematic review. J Headache Pain. 2019 Oct 21;20(1):98. doi: 10.1186/s10194-019-1051-7.

    PMID: 31638888BACKGROUND
  • Marshall S, Bayley M, McCullagh S, Velikonja D, Berrigan L, Ouchterlony D, Weegar K; mTBI Expert Consensus Group. Updated clinical practice guidelines for concussion/mild traumatic brain injury and persistent symptoms. Brain Inj. 2015;29(6):688-700. doi: 10.3109/02699052.2015.1004755. Epub 2015 Apr 14.

    PMID: 25871303BACKGROUND
  • Potter S, Leigh E, Wade D, Fleminger S. The Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire: a confirmatory factor analysis. J Neurol. 2006 Dec;253(12):1603-14. doi: 10.1007/s00415-006-0275-z. Epub 2006 Oct 24.

    PMID: 17063314BACKGROUND
  • Rabin R, de Charro F. EQ-5D: a measure of health status from the EuroQol Group. Ann Med. 2001 Jul;33(5):337-43. doi: 10.3109/07853890109002087.

    PMID: 11491192BACKGROUND
  • Seifert T. Post-Traumatic Headache Therapy in the Athlete. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016 Jun;20(6):41. doi: 10.1007/s11916-016-0568-6.

    PMID: 27184059BACKGROUND
  • Solomon S. Post-traumatic headache: commentary: an overview. Headache. 2009 Jul;49(7):1112-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01462.x.

    PMID: 19583600BACKGROUND
  • Bland JM, Altman DG. Applying the right statistics: analyses of measurement studies. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Jul;22(1):85-93. doi: 10.1002/uog.122.

    PMID: 12858311BACKGROUND

Related Links

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Post-Concussion SyndromeHeadache

Interventions

Methylprednisolone

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain ConcussionHead Injuries, ClosedCraniocerebral TraumaTrauma, Nervous SystemNervous System DiseasesWounds and InjuriesWounds, NonpenetratingPainNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

PrednisolonePregnadienetriolsPregnadienesPregnanesSteroidsFused-Ring CompoundsPolycyclic Compounds

Study Officials

  • Jamie S Ullman, MD

    Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Betsy Moclair, RN, CCRC

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
observational
Observational Model
COHORT
Time Perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Target Duration
3 Months
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

December 22, 2020

First Posted

December 28, 2020

Study Start

April 1, 2021

Primary Completion

December 1, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Last Updated

November 12, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-11

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations