Q-collar and Brain Injury Biomarkers

Significant morbidity, mortality, and related costs are caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). A simple, effective, and lightweight device worn by athletes or war fighters in the field, designed to mitigate TBI resulting from blast trauma or concussive events, would save lives, and the huge costs currently being experienced for life-treatment of surviving victims. An externally-worn medical device that applies mild jugular compression according to the principle of the Queckenstedt Maneuver (the Device) is being developed by Q30 Labs, LLC (Q30). Initial research suggests that the Device has the potential to reduce the likelihood of TBI. The currently developed collar (Smith 2009; Smith 2011; Smith 2011; Smith 2012) has been approved for studies in humans and the results indicate safety for use during high demand and maximal exertion activities, Study ID: 2013-2240, Institutional Review Board - Federalwide Assurance #00002988). Regarding safety, the externally worn collar is meticulously designed to mimic the body's own omohyoid muscle actions upon the jugular veins that will provide similar pressure and volume increases not to surpass that of a yawn or the mere act of just lying down. This study will investigate the effectiveness of this device in high school athletes playing a collision or contact sport such as football, hockey, or lacrosse. The high risk sports which utilize helmets during competition will allow for measurements systems to be embedded in the headgear and will not affect play or fit of equipment. Athletes participating in this study will be enrolled into one of two groups 1) device wearing or 2) non-device wearing. By the nature of the sports selected, it is likely this pilot study will primarily include males, however if any female meets inclusion criteria on the team selected they will be included in this pilot investigation. The helmets of all participants will be outfitted with an accelerometer which will measure the magnitude of every impact to the head sustained by the athlete. Effectiveness of the device will be determined by brain imaging during the pre-season, midseason, and end of season time points. A subset of athletes who report a diagnosed concussion will also receive additional brain imaging within the week following the diagnosed concussive event.