Blood Test Could Clear Uncertainty That Envelops Concussion Diagnosis
Researchers have discovered that the levels of a certain biomarker changed with a traumatic head injury, which has always been tricky to diagnose because of, among other things, delayed symptoms.
The Washington Post:
Blood Test That Can Find Evidence Of A Concussion Days Later Is Closer To Becoming A Reality
When head injuries aren't treated or are under-treated, it puts patients at risk of more serious injury. This is why children with concussions are often asked not to return to class or sports until their symptoms have resolved and adults often have to take days off work. One of the challenges has been that concussions are tricky to diagnose, and it isn't uncommon for a patient to rush to the ER only to be met with a vague response from the doctor about whether there's anything worrisome. Symptoms often aren't apparent for hours or even days after the initial injury, and the imaging technology we have can't pick up anything other than larger bleeds and lesions. How different could things have been if there was a simple blood test to detect a concussion? (Cha, 3/28)
In other news, a new study shows just how flawed Theranos blood tests were —
The Wall Street Journal:
Theranos Results Could Throw Off Medical Decisions, Study Finds
A study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai showed that results for cholesterol tests done by Theranos Inc. differed enough from the two largest laboratory companies in the U.S. that they could throw off doctors’ medical decisions. The Mount Sinai study was published online Monday in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Investigation. The authors recruited 60 healthy adults in the Phoenix area and sent them for 22 commonly prescribed blood tests over a five-day period in July 2015. (Carreyrou, 3/28)
