Sunday, October 21, 2012
Validity of baseline concussion tests questioned - USATODAY.com - Randolph analyzed the scientific literature and could not find a prospective, controlled study of the current version of the most common baseline concussion test, called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing). Athletes take the 20-minute test on a computer. - "There is no evidence to suggest that the use of baseline testing alters any risk from sport-related concussion, nor is there even a good rationale as to how such tests might influence outcome," Randolph wrote in an article published in a recent issue of the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports. - Instead of relying on baseline concussion tests, medical staff on sports teams "may be better advised to rely upon their own clinical judgment, in conjunction with a validated symptom checklist, in making return-to-play decisions," for athletes who have suffered a concussion, Randolph suggested.
ImPact Baseline Test Pushed Locally on Schools/Coaches/Athletes in The Wiregrass. A Must Read --- ImPACT And Other Concussion Tests For Athletes May Not Work. - Slate Magazine - By Christie Aschwanden --- “It’s a huge scam,” says physician Robert Sallis, past president of the American College of Sports Medicine. -- So why have hundreds of high schools, colleges and professional sports teams have adopted ImPACT testing? In a word: money. Every time a player gets seriously hurt, it creates hysteria that something needs to be done. “The response is, let’s throw some money at something, and ImPACT is there to say, we’ll take your money,” says Robert Sallis, the sports physician. ImPACT sells some more tests, and those in charge can show that they're doing something and protect themselves from potential lawsuits. It’s not just ImPACT getting a cut. Neuropsychologists and other experts who pony up a yearly $1,500 subscription fee are christened “certified ImPACT consultants” and promised “access to ImPACT’s sports concussion business practice tool,” “extra public relations assistance with your local media,” and “excellent referral opportunities.” Neuropsychologists can charge $500 or more to interpret the test, turning a mild concussion into a $500 or $1,000 bill. And while the schools that sign up for ImPACT through the “public service” program get free testing for the first year, they’re on the hook after that.
“It’s a huge scam,” says physician Robert Sallis. Concussion Testing Issues « The Concussion Blog - On closer inspection, though, the whole thing begins to fall apart. “It’s a huge scam,” says physician Robert Sallis, past president of the American College of Sports Medicine. “They’ve done incredible marketing, and they’ve managed to establish this test as the standard of care with no evidence that it has any benefit.” --In one independent study, 118 healthy student volunteers took a baseline ImPACT test and then returned to retake the test twice more, 45 and 50 days later. In the follow-ups, more than one-third of the concussion-free participants showed up as false positives, which made it seem as if they really had the symptoms of a concussion and were maybe lying about the symptoms.
ESPN: Concussion test may not be panacea - There's just one problem. Many scientists who are unaffiliated with ImPACT don't think the thing works. -- "Through amazing marketing, the ImPACT guys have made their name synonymous with testing," says William Barr, an associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at New York University and former team neuropsychologist for the New York Jets. "But there's a growing awareness that ImPACT doesn't have the science behind it to do what it claims it does." -- The bottom line is this: Neuropsychological testing in general, and ImPACT in particular, can be part of an overall exam. Any athlete suspected of having a concussion needs to see a healthcare professional trained extensively to deal with brain injury and not just trained to administer a test. Those professionals should examine athletes' symptoms, balance and medical history along with his or her cognitive function and should have the final say in return-to-play decisions in the interests of athletes' long-term health
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