Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The Vestibular/Ocular-Motor Screening (VOMS) is a valuable component of acute (<72 hours) sports-related concussion (SRC) assessments and is increasingly used with the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) instrument and the third edition of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT3). Research has suggested that VOMS acute postinjury scores are useful in identifying acute concussion. However, the utility of preseason baseline measurements to improve diagnostic accuracy remains ambiguous. To this end, there is a need to determine how reliable VOMS baseline assessments are across years and whether incorporating individuals' baseline performance improves diagnostic yield for acute concussions. PURPOSE: To analyze VOMS, SCAT3, and ImPACT to evaluate the test-retest reliability of consecutive-year preseason baseline assessments to directly compare the diagnostic utility of these tools when incorporating baseline assessments versus using postinjury data alone to identify acute SRC. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: Preseason and postinjury VOMS, SCAT3, ImPACT Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS), and ImPACT composite scores were analyzed for 3958 preseason (47.7% female) and 496 acute (