Article

The high rate of blast exposures experienced by U.S. servicemembers (SMs) during
the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan has resulted in frequent
combat-related mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). Dizziness and postural
instability can persist after mTBI as a component of postconcussion syndrome, but
also occur among the somatic complaints of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The goals of this study were to examine the use of computerized posturography
(CPT) to objectively characterize chronic balance deficits after mTBI and to
explore the utility of CPT in distinguishing between combat and blast-exposed
participants with and without mTBI and PTSD. Data were analyzed from a subject
pool of 166 combat-exposed SMs and Veterans who had a blast experience within the
past 2 yr while deployed. Using nonparametric tests and measures of impairment,
we found that balance was deficient in participants diagnosed with mTBI with
posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) or PTSD versus those with neither and that deficits
were amplified for participants with both diagnoses. In addition, unique
deficiencies were found using CPT for individuals having isolated mTBI with PTA
and isolated PTSD. Computerized balance assessment offers an objective technique
to examine the physiologic effects and provide differentiation between
participants with combat-associated mTBI and PTSD.

Langue : ANGLAIS