TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of football subconcussive head impacts with ocular near point of convergence
AU - Kawata, Keisuke
AU - Rubin, Leah H.
AU - Lee, Jong Hyun
AU - Sim, Thomas
AU - Takahagi, Masahiro
AU - Szwanki, Victor
AU - Bellamy, Al
AU - Darvish, Kurosh
AU - Assari, Soroush
AU - Henderer, Jeffrey D.
AU - Tierney, Ryan
AU - Langford, Dianne
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright 2016 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/7
Y1 - 2016/7
N2 - IMPORTANCE An increased understanding of the relationship between subconcussive head impacts and near point of convergence (NPC) ocular-motor function may be useful in delineating traumatic brain injury. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether repetitive subconcussive head impacts during preseason football practice cause changes in NPC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This prospective, observational study of 29 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football players included baseline and preseason practices (1 noncontact and 4 contact), and postseason follow-up and outcome measures were obtained for each time. An accelerometer-embedded mouthguard measured head impact kinematics. Based on the sum of head impacts from all 5 practices, players were categorized into lower (n = 7) or higher (n = 22) impact groups. EXPOSURES Players participated in regular practices, and all head impacts greater than 10g from the 5 practices were recorded using the i1Biometerics Vector mouthguard (i1 Biometrics Inc). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Near point of convergence measures and symptom scores. RESULTS A total of 1193 head impacts were recorded from 5 training camp practices in the 29 collegiate football players; 22 were categorized into the higher-impact group and 7 into the lower-impact group. Therewere significant differences in head impact kinematics between lower- and higher-impact groups (number of impacts, 6 vs 41 [lower impact minus higher impact = 35; 95%CI, 21-51; P < .001]; linear acceleration, 99g vs 1112g [lower impact minus higher impact= 1013; 95%CI, 621 - 1578; P < .001]; angular acceleration, 7589 radian/s 2 vs 65016 radian/s 2 [lower impact minus higher impact= 57 427; 95%CI , 31 123-80 498; P < .001], respectively). The trajectory and cumulative burden of subconcussive impacts on NPC differed by group (F for group × linear trend 1, 238 = 12.14, P < .001 and F for group × quadratic trend 1,238 , = 12.97, P < .001). In the higher-impact group, therewas a linear increase in NPC over time (B for linear trend, unstandardized coefficient [SE]: 0.76 [0.12], P < .001) that plateaued and resolved by postseason follow-up (B for quadratic trend [SE]: -0.06 [0.008], P < .001). In the lower-impact group, therewas no change in NPC over time. Group differenceswere first observed after the first contact practice and remained until the final full-gear practice. No group differenceswere observed postseason follow-up. Therewere no differences in symptom scores between groups over time. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Although asymptomatic, these data suggest that repetitive subconcussive head impacts were associated with changes in NPC. The increase in NPC highlights the vulnerability and slow recovery of the ocular-motor system following subconcussive head impacts. Changes in NPC may become a useful clinical tool in deciphering brain injury severity.
AB - IMPORTANCE An increased understanding of the relationship between subconcussive head impacts and near point of convergence (NPC) ocular-motor function may be useful in delineating traumatic brain injury. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether repetitive subconcussive head impacts during preseason football practice cause changes in NPC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This prospective, observational study of 29 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football players included baseline and preseason practices (1 noncontact and 4 contact), and postseason follow-up and outcome measures were obtained for each time. An accelerometer-embedded mouthguard measured head impact kinematics. Based on the sum of head impacts from all 5 practices, players were categorized into lower (n = 7) or higher (n = 22) impact groups. EXPOSURES Players participated in regular practices, and all head impacts greater than 10g from the 5 practices were recorded using the i1Biometerics Vector mouthguard (i1 Biometrics Inc). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Near point of convergence measures and symptom scores. RESULTS A total of 1193 head impacts were recorded from 5 training camp practices in the 29 collegiate football players; 22 were categorized into the higher-impact group and 7 into the lower-impact group. Therewere significant differences in head impact kinematics between lower- and higher-impact groups (number of impacts, 6 vs 41 [lower impact minus higher impact = 35; 95%CI, 21-51; P < .001]; linear acceleration, 99g vs 1112g [lower impact minus higher impact= 1013; 95%CI, 621 - 1578; P < .001]; angular acceleration, 7589 radian/s 2 vs 65016 radian/s 2 [lower impact minus higher impact= 57 427; 95%CI , 31 123-80 498; P < .001], respectively). The trajectory and cumulative burden of subconcussive impacts on NPC differed by group (F for group × linear trend 1, 238 = 12.14, P < .001 and F for group × quadratic trend 1,238 , = 12.97, P < .001). In the higher-impact group, therewas a linear increase in NPC over time (B for linear trend, unstandardized coefficient [SE]: 0.76 [0.12], P < .001) that plateaued and resolved by postseason follow-up (B for quadratic trend [SE]: -0.06 [0.008], P < .001). In the lower-impact group, therewas no change in NPC over time. Group differenceswere first observed after the first contact practice and remained until the final full-gear practice. No group differenceswere observed postseason follow-up. Therewere no differences in symptom scores between groups over time. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Although asymptomatic, these data suggest that repetitive subconcussive head impacts were associated with changes in NPC. The increase in NPC highlights the vulnerability and slow recovery of the ocular-motor system following subconcussive head impacts. Changes in NPC may become a useful clinical tool in deciphering brain injury severity.
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U2 - 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.1085
DO - 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.1085
M3 - Article
C2 - 27257799
AN - SCOPUS:84978531575
SN - 2168-6165
VL - 134
SP - 763
EP - 769
JO - JAMA ophthalmology
JF - JAMA ophthalmology
IS - 7
ER -