Sex differences in concussion symptoms of high school athletes

More than 1.6 million sport-related concussions occur every year in the United States, affecting greater than 5% of all high school athletes who participate in contact sports. As more females participate in sports, understanding possible differences in concussion symptoms between sexes becomes more important. To compare symptoms, symptom resolution time, and time to return to sport between males and females with sport-related concussions. Descriptive epidemiology study. Data were collected from 100 high schools via High School RIO (Reporting Information Online). Athletes from participating schools who sustained concussions while involved in interscholastic sports practice or competition in 9 sports (boys' football, soccer, basketball, wrestling, and baseball and girls' soccer, volleyball, basketball, and softball) during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school years. A total of 812 sport concussions were reported (610 males, 202 females). Reported symptoms, symptom resolution time, and return-to-play time. No difference was found between the number of symptoms reported (P = .30). However, a difference was seen in the types of symptoms reported. In year 1, males reported amnesia (exact P = .03) and confusion/disorientation (exact P = .04) more frequently than did females. In year 2, males reported more amnesia (exact P = .002) and confusion/disorientation (exact P = .002) than did females, whereas females reported more drowsiness (exact P = .02) and sensitivity to noise (exact P = .002) than did males. No differences were observed for symptom resolution time (P = .40) or return-to-play time (P = .43) between sexes. The types of symptoms reported differed between sexes after sport-related concussion, but symptom resolution time and return-to-play timelines were similar.