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Context: Evidence suggests that athletes engaging in high-intensity activities after concussion have more difficulties with cognitive recovery. Objective: To examine the role postinjury activity level plays in postconcussive symptoms and performance on neurocognitive tests in a population of student-athletes. Design: Retrospective cohort study with repeated measures of neurocognitive performance and symptom reporting. Setting: University-based sports concussion clinic. Patients or Other Participants: Ninety-five student-athletes (80 males, 15 females: age = 15.88 ± 1.35 years) were retrospectively assigned to 1 of 5 groups based on a postinjury activity intensity scale. Main Outcome Measure(s): We employed a regression analysis for repeated measures to evaluate the relationship of activity intensity to symptoms and neurocognitive outcome up to 33 days after concussion. Postconcussion symptom scores and neurocognitive (verbal memory, visual memory, visual motor speed, and reaction time) scores served as the primary outcome measures. Results: Level of exertion was significantly related to all outcome variables (P < .02 for all comparisons). With multivariate analysis, activity intensity remained significant with respect to visual memory (P = .003) and reaction time (P < .001). Conclusions: Activity level after concussion affected symptoms and neurocognitive recovery. Athletes engaging in high levels of activity after concussion demonstrated worse neurocognitive performance. For these tasks, those engaging in moderate levels of activity demonstrated the best performance.

Setting: Tertiary care hospital acute rehabilitation unit. Patient: A 58-year-old man with babesiosis and Lyme disease. Case Description: The patient, who had a history of splenectomy, was admitted with diffuse myalgias, fevers, and chills. He had a history of foreign and domestic travel 6 weeks prior. He was diagnosed with babesiosis. The patient’s muscle strength on admission was 5/5 throughout, but declined during his acute care stay. The patient was transferred to the acute rehabilitation floor, where he demonstrated noted weakness primarily in the lower extremities. Through his first week of rehabilitation, he became significantly weaker in hip flexors and knee extensors (to 2+/5) as well as developed proximal upper-extremity weakness (to 3+/5) for shoulder flexion. An electromyogram (EMG) on day 14 showed primary demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Sural nerve biopsy was unremarkable. Western blot for Lyme disease returned positive. He was started on intravenous ceftriaxone, yet deterioration of muscle strength and function was noted. An EMG on day 30 showed continued evidence of demyelinating polyneuropathy with significantly prolonged F-wave latencies in the upper extremities and moderate worsening in conduction velocities in 3 of 4 nerves. He was started on intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on day 33 and received a total of 5 doses over 5 days. Assessment/Results: Patient was discharged on day 38 with improving muscle strength and he was able to ambulate 150ft using a wheeled walker with supervision. At follow-up 8 weeks later, muscle strength had fully returned. Discussion: This case illustrates that Lyme disease-associated demyelinating polyneuropathy may be treated with IVIG. The potential use of IVIG in this population is based on its efficacy in those with acute demyelinating neuropathy of alternative etiologies. Conclusion: IVIG can be considered as a treatment option for demyelinating polyneuropathy associated with Lyme disease.