Female adolescents demonstrate greater oculomotor and vestibular dysfunction than male adolescents following concussion

Abstract

ObjectiveTo examine differences between male and female adolescents on measures of balance, vestibular and oculomotor function within 3 weeks of concussion among a group of pediatric patients presenting to a sports medicine clinic. DesignMedical record review. SettingSports medicine clinic. Participants197 female (median age = 15.2 years) and 381 male (median age = 14.6 years) pediatric patients seen for a concussion, evaluated 9.3 ± 5.2 (mean ± SD) days post-concussion. Main outcome measuresPatients completed Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), tandem gait, gaze stability, and near point of convergence (NPC) tests. ResultsA higher proportion of female patients exhibited abnormal NPC (22% vs. 14%; p = 0.017), gaze stability (53% vs. 43%; p = 0.028), and tandem gait tests (20% vs. 13%; p = 0.026) compared to male patients. Multivariable analysis indicated an independent association between female sex and increased odds of abnormal NPC (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.07–3.00), and tandem gait tests (aOR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.12–3.41) following concussion. ConclusionsOur results indicate that within the first three weeks of a concussion, female pediatric patients demonstrated increased odds of exhibiting abnormal near point of convergence, and tandem gait test performance compared to male patients.