Abstract
Clinicians rely on objective concussion assessments that may be influenced by
patient characteristics, creating difficulties in isolating the effect of
concussion on patient function. The purpose of our study was to identify
characteristics associated with performance on the Sport Concussion Assessment
Tool 5th edition (SCAT5) 10-word recall test following adolescent
concussion. We evaluated patients seen for care within 14 days of concussion
(n=125; 15.2±1.6 years of age, range=11–18
years; 46% female; 6.9±3.4 days post-concussion). Patient
demographic (age, sex, medical and concussion history, etc.), injury (timing of
presentation, symptom severity, sport-type, etc.), and clinical test (Modified
Balance Error Scoring System [mBESS], tandem gait) characteristics were
assessed, in addition to SCAT5 immediate and delayed memory testing using the
10-word recall list. Immediate and delayed recall performance was significantly
associated with concussion symptom burden and cognitive accuracy during tandem
gait, although effect sizes were notably small. Specific variables such as age,
sex, diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, and performance on other clinical
assessments were not significantly associated with recall performance after
controlling for covariates. Further, the 10-word recall list demonstrates
specific advantages over previously used 5-word lists by way of decreased
ceiling effects and reduced interference of inherent patient
characteristics.
Key words
mTBI - pediatric - memory - cognition - SCAT5 - determinants
