Definition and epidemiology of mild traumatic brain injury.

Abstract Background / objectives. The definition of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as concussion, has been a matter of controversy, which makes comparison between studies. Incidence varies greatly from one country to another. The present article reviews definitions and epidemiology. Methods: Literature review. Results. According to the Mild TBI Committee of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, revised by the World Health Organization (WHO), mTBI is defined by a Glasgow Coma Scale score between 13 and 15 at 30 minutes post-injury, and one or more of the following symptoms: 700/100,000). A changing pattern of epidemiology has been found in high-income countries, related to a decrease in road-accident injuries in young adults, while conversely the proportion of falls has increased with population aging. Conclusion. Mild TBI is a major public health concern, the epidemiology of which has greatly changed in the last twenty years.