PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Galetta, K.M.
AU  - Barrett, J.
AU  - Allen, M.
AU  - Madda, F.
AU  - Delicata, D.
AU  - Tennant, A.T.
AU  - Branas, C.C.
AU  - Maguire, M.G.
AU  - Messner, L.V.
AU  - Devick, S.
AU  - Galetta, S.L.
AU  - Balcer, L.J.
TI  - The King-Devick test as a determinant of head trauma and concussion in boxers and MMA fighters
AID  - 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31821184c9
DP  - 2011 Apr 26
TA  - Neurology
PG  - 1456--1462
VI  - 76
IP  - 17
4099  - http://n.neurology.org/content/76/17/1456.short
4100  - http://n.neurology.org/content/76/17/1456.full
SO  - Neurology2011 Apr 26; 76
AB  - 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 (rs = −0.79, p = 0.0001) and greater worsening of scores (rs = 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.