15 Sep VOMS Test Better Identifies Symptoms and Impairment Following Concussion
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Anthony P. Kontos, Ph.D.
Assistant Research Director
UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program
Associate Professor
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
University of Pittsburgh
Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Kontos: Our new Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) examination was able to accurately identify nearly 90% of patients with a concussion. In our study of 64 concussed patients approximately five days post-injury and 78 healthy control-group patients who were administered VOMS by trained clinicians, we also found that more than 60% of patients with a concussion reported symptoms or had impairment on the VOMS following their injury. The VOMS, which was developed in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team of experts, assesses five areas of the vestibular ocular system: smooth pursuits, saccades (rapid eye movement), horizontal vestibular ocular reflex (VOR), visual motion sensitivity (VMS), and near-point-of-convergence (NPC) distance.
Medical Research: Were any of the findings unexpected?
Dr. Kontos: We were somewhat surprised that over 60% of the patients reported symptoms or had impairment on the VOMS. This is an important finding, as other tests that do not include vestibular or oculomotor components might miss impairment in these patients.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Kontos: The VOMS is a consistent and valid brief screening tool for clinicians to use to identify patients with vestibular and oculomotor symptoms and impairment following concussion. The VOMS can help clinicians to better identify patients with these issues so that they can be referred for appropriate specialized rehabilitation and treatment strategies. The VOMS complements current symptom, computerized neurocognitive, and balance assessments for concussion and provides another tool for clinicians to use as part of a comprehensive approach to assessing this heterogeneous injury.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Kontos: We plan to examine potential age and sex difference on the VOMS. We also want to compare the VOMS to established tests such as the Gaze Stability Test, Dynamic Visual Acuity Test, Functional Gait Assessment and Dynamic Gait Index. Finally, we think the VOMS might be a useful as a sideline assessment, but further research is needed in this area.
Citation:
Am J Sports Med. 2014 Aug 8. pii: 0363546514543775. [Epub ahead of print]
Last Updated on January 7, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD