Between-seasons test-retest reliability of clinically measured reaction time in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes.

CONTEXT

Reaction time is typically impaired after concussion. A clinical test of reaction time (RT(clin)) that does not require a computer to administer may be a valuable tool to assist in concussion diagnosis and management.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the test-retest reliability of RTclinmeasured over successive seasons in competitive collegiate athletes and to compare these results with a computerized measure of reaction time (RT(comp)).

DESIGN

Case series with repeated measures.

SETTING

Preparticipation physical examinations for the football, women's soccer, and wrestling teams at a single university.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

102 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes.

INTERVENTION(S): The RT(clin) was measured using a measuring stick embedded in a weighted rubber disk that was released and caught as quickly as possible. The RT(comp) was measured using the simple reaction time component of CogState Sport.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Data were collected at 2 time points, 1 season apart, during preparticipation physical examinations. Outcomes were mean simple RT(clin) and RT(comp).

RESULTS

The intraclass correlation coefficient estimates from season 1 to season 2 were 0.645 for RT(clin) (n = 102, entire sample) and 0.512 for RT(comp) (n = 62 athletes who had 2 consecutive valid baseline CogState Sport test sessions).

CONCLUSIONS

The test-retest reliability of RT(clin) over consecutive seasons compared favorably with that of a concurrently tested computerized measure of reaction time and with literature-based estimates of computerized reaction time measures. This finding supports the potential use of RT(clin) as part of a multifaceted concussion assessment battery. Further prospective study is warranted.