Saliva breakthrough in concussion study

A saliva test has been found to accurately detect concussion in elite male rugby players, possibly paving the way for such injuries to be diagnosed during a game across a range of sports in the future.

The SCRUM study, led by academic sat the university of Birmingham, developed a test using biomarkers in saliva which could successfully predict the outcome of a head injury assessment (HIA) in 94 percent ofcases during testing in the 2018-19 Premiership and Championship season.

The technology behind rapid corona virus testing could ultimately be used to help develop a device which provides an objective in-game diagnosis of concussion, alongside existing assessment techniques. The breakthrough has been described as a “game-changer” by the Sc rum team, who now hope to trial the tests in two further elite men’s rugby competitions after they have presented their findings to World Rugby’s Law and Welfare Symposium next week.

It comes at a time when the sport’s authorities face a legal claim from former players who have been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and amid a parliamentary inquiry into the treatment of head injuries in sport.

The study was carried out in collaboration with the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and Marker Diagnostics, and the RFU’S medical services director, Dr Simon Kemp, pictured, said: “Within the elite professional game, men’s and women’s, it would be ideal to have an in-game test. It’s a relatively small population of games you need to support and this test needs to be part of an HIA framework.”

Premiership Rugby is willing to support the next stage of research in 2021-22, and the group also wants to study women’ s sport, where it is expected different bio markers will need to be identified.