THURSDAY, Sept. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established an evidence-based guideline for diagnosis and management of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The guideline was published online Sept. 4 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Angela Lumba-Brown, M.D., from the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, and colleagues conducted a systematic review of the pediatric mTBI literature in order to develop an evidence-based guideline with clinical recommendations for diagnosis and management. Six clinical questions were selected on diagnosis, prognosis, and management or treatment of pediatric mTBI.

Based on the evidence, the researchers developed 19 sets of recommendations on the diagnosis, prognosis, and management/treatment of pediatric mTBI; based on confidence in the evidence, these were assigned a level of obligation. Imaging, symptom scales, cognitive testing, and standardized assessment for diagnosis were addressed in the recommendations, as were assessment of history and risk factors, monitoring, and counseling for prognosis. In terms of management/treatment, patient/family education, rest, support, return to school, and symptom management were addressed.

“This guideline identifies the best practices for mTBI based on the current evidence; updates should be made as the body of evidence grows,” the authors write. “CDC has created user-friendly guideline implementation materials that are concise and actionable. Evaluation of the guideline and implementation materials is crucial in understanding the influence of the recommendations.”

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and sports industries.

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