2018 TBI Model System Collaborative: Characterization and Treatment of Chronic Pain after Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

This is a multi-site, cross-sectional, observational study involving a total of 18 centers. Using the infrastructure of the TBIMS, this study will add new study measures at collaborative study sites and link this information with TBIMS Form I and II variables to address the study aims. Results from this study will provide a more detailed picture of the problem of chronic pain after TBI by examining the types of pain that occur after TBI, which may be multiple types of pain for a subset of individuals, as well as the frequency of comorbid conditions. Identifying extreme phenotypes, such as demographic, individual, and treatment factors associated with those who have chronic pain but have minimal interference compared to those who are significantly impacted by pain, will allow us to identify treatment targets (behavioral, cognitive, biological, and molecular) to advance a personalized medicine approach to treatment unlike any approach in TBI and chronic pain to date. Outcomes from this study will include educational materials on chronic pain and pain treatment to benefit patients, family members, clinicians, and policymakers. Data from this study will have a direct impact on clinical practice, informing future work, and promoting understanding of constituent factors in extreme phenotypes.