TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2018//
TI  - Study of Concussion in Rugby Union through MicroRNAs (SCRUM): a study protocol of a prospective, observational cohort study
JO  - BMJ open
A1  - Yakoub, Kamal M.
A1  - O'Halloran, Patrick
A1  - Davies, David James
A1  - Bentley, Conor
A1  - Watson, Callum N.
A1  - Forcione, Mario
A1  - Scarpa, Ugo
A1  - Bishop, Jonathan R. B.
A1  - Toman, Emma
A1  - Hammond, Douglas
A1  - Cross, Matthew J.
A1  - Stokes, Keith A.
A1  - Kemp, Simon P. T.
A1  - Menon, David K.
A1  - Di Pietro, Valentina
A1  - Belli, Antonio
SP  - e024245
EP  - e024245
VL  - 8
IS  - 11
N2  - INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury or sports-related concussion is a challenge for all clinicians, players, coaches and parents involved in contact sports. Currently, there is no validated objective biomarker available to assess the presence or severity of concussion in sport, and so it is necessary to rely on subjective measures like self-reporting of symptoms which depend on the cooperation of the athlete. There is a significant health risk associated with repetitive injury if the diagnosis is missed, and so there is great value in an objective biomarker to assist diagnostic and prognostic decisions. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To establish a panel of non-invasive MicroRNA biomarkers in urine and saliva for the rapid diagnosis of sports-related concussion and investigate the kinetics and clinical utility of these biomarkers in assisting diagnostic, prognostic and return-to-play decisions. <br><br>METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Observational, prospective, multicentre cohort study recruiting between the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 Rugby Union seasons. Professional rugby players in the two highest tiers of senior professional domestic rugby competition in England will be recruited prospectively to the study. During the season, three groups will be identified: athletes entering the World Rugby Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocol, uninjured control athletes and control athletes with musculoskeletal injuries. Saliva and urine will be collected from these athletes at multiple timepoints, coinciding with key times in the HIA protocol and return-to-play process. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained. The compiled and analysed results will be presented at national and international conferences concerning the care of patients with traumatic brain injury. <br><br>RESULTS will also be submitted for peer review and publication in the subject journals/literature.<br><br>© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2044-6055
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024245
ID  - ref1
ER  -