POSTER ABSTRACTS - ISAKOS

injury testing within one week of injury (mean=2.0
days). Abnormal test performance was determined
by the application of reliable change index scores
(RCI’s). 65% of concussed athletes reported a
significant increase in symptoms compared to
baseline. 35% of the subjects did not report
increased symptoms. However, 82% of the
concussed sample did demonstrate significantly
poorer neuropsychological test results, as
measured by the Verbal Memory, Visual Memory,
Reaction Time or Processing Speed indices from
ImPACT. Therefore, the addition of
neuropsychological testing resulted in a net
increase in sensitivity of 17%. The combined
sensitivity of symptoms reporting and
neuropsychological testing was 88%. Reliance on
player self-reported post-concussive symptoms is
likely to result in poor diagnostic sensitivity and is
also likely to result in the premature return to play
by concussed athletes. The addition of a
computer-based neuropsychological protocol
increases diagnostic sensitivity significantly. The
careful evaluation of both player symptoms and
neuropsychological test results represents the
most useful approach to concussion
management.
using the ImPACT computer -based test battery.
We compared two groups: first concussion (N=
155) and athletes who sustained ?? concussion
(N=46) based on Verbal-, Visual memory,
Processing speed, Reaction time and Symptoms
composite score.
Results: Comparing the No concussion History
group to the History of concussion group did
show increase in on field -symptoms for the
history group. But there is neither significant
difference in their neurocognitive performance nor
for their symptoms looking at 2 days and 7 days
post injury.
Discussion: Athletes who had experienced a
concussion in the past did not perform worse on
neuropsychological testing than athletes with no
History of concussion. Neither did the group differ
on their on- field symptoms. These results suggest
that if an athlete has symptom free period
between his concussions he is likely to recover
without any residual problems.
E-poster w/ Standard #1112
Effect of Multiple Concussions
Derk Anton van Kampen, Deventer,
NETHERLANDS, Presenter
Mark R Lovell, Pittsburgh, PA USA
Michael W. Collins, Pittsburgh, PA USA
Freddie H. Fu, Pittsburgh, PA USA
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center,
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Introduction: The management of concussion has
become a public health issue since approximately
300,000 concussions occur a year in the USA a
lone. Most discussion is focused on return to play
decision-making, based on the athletes symptoms
and neurocognitive performance. Currently there
is no consensus on the risk of having multiple
concussions although general previous studies
have shown an indication for decline of
performance. The current study was designed to
evaluate the importance of a history of
concussions on a new concussion based on
neuropsychological test performance, conducted
at 2 days and 7 days post injury.
Method: A group of 201 High school and college
athletes were tested pre-season, 2 days and 7 days
post concussion. All the athletes were evaluated