Dr. Papa researched nearly 600 trauma patients going through Orlando Regional Medical Center between 2010 and 2014. She compared patients with head injuries to those without.
Here are five points:
1. Dr. Papa found that the presence of GFAP and UCH-L1, two proteins in the blood, are good indicators of concussions for up to a week after head trauma.
2. The level of the proteins can also predict if there’s mild to moderate traumatic lesion on the brain and when there’s a need for surgery.
3. A previous study published by Dr. Papa showed that the blood test could detect brain injuries in children with 94 percent accuracy.
4. A few companies are in the process of developing machines that can perform the blood test, but Dr. Papa isn’t a shareholder in them.
5. If all goes as expected, the blood test can become available by 2020.
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