Baseline Performance of High School Rugby Players on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5

Amanda M Black; Lauren N Miutz; Vineetha Warriyar Kv; Kathryn J Schneider; Keith Owen Yeates; Carolyn A Emery

doi:10.4085/1062-6050-123-19

Baseline Performance of High School Rugby Players on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5

J Athl Train. 2020 Feb;55(2):116-123. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-123-19. Epub 2020 Jan 9.

Authors

Amanda M Black^{1

2

3}, Lauren N Miutz^{1

2

3}, Vineetha Warriyar Kv¹, Kathryn J Schneider^{1

2

3}, Keith Owen Yeates^{4

5}, Carolyn A Emery^{1

2

3

4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Canada.
² Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada.
³ Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada.
⁴ Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Canada.
⁵ Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Canada.
⁶ Community Health Sciences, and University of Calgary, Canada.

Abstract

Context: Version 5 of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT5) was released in 2017 with an additional 10-word list option in the memory section and additional instructions for completing the symptom scale.

Objective: To provide reference scores for high school rugby union players on the SCAT5, including immediate memory using the 10-word list, and examine how age, sex, and concussion history affected performance.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Calgary, Alberta high schools.

Patients or other participants: High school rugby union players (ages 15-18 years) participating in a 2018 season cohort study (n = 380, males = 210, females = 170).

Main outcome measure(s): Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 scores, including total number of symptoms (of 20), symptom severity (of 132), 10-word immediate memory (of 30), delayed memory (of 10), modified Standardized Assessment of Concussion (of 50), and balance examination (of 30).

Results: The median number of symptoms reported at baseline ranged from 5 to 8 across sex and age stratifications. Median symptom severity was lowest in males with no concussion history (7; range, 0-28) and highest in females with a concussion history (13, range = 0-45). Median total scores on immediate memory were 2-3 (range = 0-4) for males and 21 (range = 9-29) for females. Median total scores were 3 (range = 0-4) on digits backward and 7 (range = 0-20) on delayed memory (all groups). Based on simultaneous quantile (q) regression at 0.50 and 0.75, adjusted for age and concussion history, being female was associated with a higher total symptoms score (q0.75 β_female = 2.85; 99% confidence interval [CI] = 0.33, 5.37), higher total symptom severity score (q0.75 β_female = 8.00; 99% CI = 2.83, 13.17), and lower number of errors on the balance examination (q0.75 β_female = -3.00; 99% CI = -4.85, -1.15). Age and concussion history were not associated with any summary measures.

Conclusions: The 10-word list option in the memory section reduced the likelihood of a ceiling effect. A player's sex may be an important consideration when interpreting the SCAT5 after concussion.

Keywords: mild traumatic brain injuries; rugby union; student-athletes.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Brain Concussion / diagnosis*
Brain Concussion / psychology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Football / injuries*
Football / psychology
Humans
Male
Memory, Short-Term*
Neuropsychological Tests
Prospective Studies