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Standardized assessment of concussion (SAC): on-site mental status evaluation of the athlete
M McCrea1, J P Kelly, C Randolph
1Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha, WI 53188, USA.
Objective:
This study investigated the clinical utility of the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) in detecting concussion in athletes.
Method:
Athletic trainers administered the SAC to 568 nonconcussed high school and college football players prior to the 1995 and 1996 football seasons. Thirty-three of these players experienced concussion and were tested immediately following injury; 28 of the 33 underwent additional follow-up testing 48 hours after the injury.
Results:
Concussed players scored significantly below nonconcussed controls on all SAC measures and significantly below their own pre-injury baseline performance. Follow-up testing documented return to preinjury baseline.
Conclusion:
These findings support the SAC's effectiveness in detecting concussion and tracking recovery in order to determine a player's fitness to return to play.