Grant: Project Grant

Over 300,000 Canadian and 40 million individuals worldwide sustain a concussion annually. Symptoms typically resolved within 10-14 days; yet in a subset of patients with concussion, these symptoms and deficits are chronic. Approximately 15-30% of patients with concussions show cognitive or neurological dysfunction that continues for months or more after the initial injury. Approximately 30% of individuals with a concussion returned to the emergency department (ED) within one month of their initial injury with persistent symptoms, increasing demands on ED flow, increasing economic strain on health care, and potentially prolong patient recovery. There is a dire need for more quantitative, cost-effective methods to monitor recovery following concussion. Our proposed in-home monitoring of GFAP blood biomarker with a machine-learning and Cloud system addresses such an issue. The success of the proposed home-based GFAP biosensing kit enables us to evaluate the feasibility of remote patient monitoring in individuals with a concussion, to map the pattern of GFAP marker, and to follow concussion patients throughout their recovery. The project will significantly reduce costly emergency room and primary care visits, reduce the overall burden on the healthcare system, and support integration with primary care providers in the community. The project represents a significant advancement in the health of patients with concussion.