Changes Across Recovery On The SCOAT6 And Multidomain Assessments Following Concussion

PURPOSE: Evaluate changes across recovery on the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool-6 (SCOAT6) and multidomain assessments comprising the Concussion Clinical Profile Screen (CP Screen), Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), and Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screen (VOMS) following sport-related concussion (SRC). METHODS: Athletes (13-29 yrs) within 3-30 days of SRC completed the SCOAT6 recommended components (e.g., Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory [PCSI], cognitive tests, orthostatic vital signs, modified Balance Error Scoring System [mBESS], timed tandem gait, and modified VOMS [mVOMS]), optional screeners (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7], Patient Health Questionnaire-2 [PHQ-2], Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire [ASSQ]), and multidomain assessments (e.g., CP Screen, ImPACT, VOMS) at their initial and follow-up (<14 days) clinic visits. Paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed. RESULTS: 100 athletes (M age = 16.89 ± 2.84; 56% male) participated in the study. Mean time since injury was 7.55 ± 4.27 days and mean days between visits was 10.85 ± 4.60 days. SCOAT6 PCSI symptom severity, concentration, timed tandem gait average, mVOMS total, GAD-7, and ASSQ scores significantly improved across visits (p < 0.05), while the immediate memory, delayed recall, mBESS total errors, orthostatic abnormal results, and PHQ-2 scores did not (p > 0.05; Table 1). All CP Screen, ImPACT, and VOMS outcomes significantly improved across time (p < 0.05; Table 1). CONCLUSIONS: SCOAT6 PCSI, concentration, timed tandem gait, mVOMS, GAD-7, and ASSQ components were useful in tracking change across recovery following SRC. SCOAT6 immediate memory, delayed recall, mBESS, orthostatic vital signs, and PHQ-2 components were not useful for this purpose. All components of the CP Screen, ImPACT, PCSS, and VOMS were useful in tracking changes across recovery following SRC.