title: Between-seasons test-retest reliability of clinically measured reaction time in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reaction time is typically impaired after concussion. A clinical test of reaction time (RT(clin)) that does not require a computer to administer may be a valuable tool to assist in concussion diagnosis and management.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the test-retest reliability of RTclinmeasured over successive seasons in competitive collegiate athletes and to compare these results with a computerized measure of reaction time (RT(comp)).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series with repeated measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preparticipation physical examinations for the football, women's soccer, and wrestling teams at a single university.
  
  
  METHODS
  102 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The RT(clin) was measured using a measuring stick embedded in a weighted rubber disk that was released and caught as quickly as possible. The RT(comp) was measured using the simple reaction time component of CogState Sport.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected at 2 time points, 1 season apart, during preparticipation physical examinations. Outcomes were mean simple RT(clin) and RT(comp).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intraclass correlation coefficient estimates from season 1 to season 2 were 0.645 for RT(clin) (n = 102, entire sample) and 0.512 for RT(comp) (n = 62 athletes who had 2 consecutive valid baseline CogState Sport test sessions).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The test-retest reliability of RT(clin) over consecutive seasons compared favorably with that of a concurrently tested computerized measure of reaction time and with literature-based estimates of computerized reaction time measures. This finding supports the potential use of RT(clin) as part of a multifaceted concussion assessment battery. Further prospective study is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA. jeckner@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Eckner
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kutcher
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results