TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - The King-Devick test as a determinant of head trauma and concussion in boxers and MMA fighters
JO  - Neurology
A1  - Galetta, K. M.
A1  - Barrett, J.
A1  - Allen, Mike
A1  - Madda, F.
A1  - Delicata, D.
A1  - Tennant, A. T.
A1  - Branas, Charles C.
A1  - Maguire, M. G.
A1  - Messner, Leonard V.
A1  - Devick, S.
A1  - Galetta, S. L.
A1  - Balcer, L. J.
SP  - 1456
EP  - 1462
VL  - 76
IS  - 17
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Sports-related concussion has received increasing attention as a cause of short- and long-term neurologic symptoms among athletes. The King-Devick (K-D) test is based on measurement of the speed of rapid number naming (reading aloud single-digit numbers from 3 test cards), and captures impairment of eye movements, attention, language, and other correlates of suboptimal brain function. We investigated the K-D test as a potential rapid sideline screening for concussion in a cohort of boxers and mixed martial arts fighters. METHODS: The K-D test was administered prefight and postfight. The Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE) was administered as a more comprehensive but longer test for concussion. Differences in postfight K-D scores and changes in scores from prefight to postfight were compared for athletes with head trauma during the fight vs those without. RESULTS: Postfight K-D scores (n = 39 participants) were significantly higher (worse) for those with head trauma during the match (59.1 ± 7.4 vs 41.0 ± 6.7 seconds, p < 0.0001, Wilcoxon rank sum test). Those with loss of consciousness showed the greatest worsening from prefight to postfight. Worse postfight K-D scores (r(s) = -0.79, p = 0.0001) and greater worsening of scores (r(s) = 0.90, p < 0.0001) correlated well with postfight MACE scores. Worsening of K-D scores by ≥5 seconds was a distinguishing characteristic noted only among participants with head trauma. High levels of test-retest reliability were observed (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.97 [95% confidence interval 0.90-1.0]). CONCLUSIONS: The K-D test is an accurate and reliable method for identifying athletes with head trauma, and is a strong candidate rapid sideline screening test for concussion.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0028-3878
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e31821184c9
ID  - ref1
ER  -