• Rodney L Coldren, Mark P Kelly, Robert V Parish, Michael Dretsch, and Michael L Russell.
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
• Mil Med. 2010 Jul 1; 175 (7): 477-81.

AbstractThe diagnosis and management of concussion can be difficult in a combat environment, especially in the absence of loss of consciousness or post-traumatic amnesia. As no validated test exists to diagnose or grade neurocognitive impairment from a concussion, the military currently employs the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE) in Iraq. This is a two-part test, which incorporates the standardized assessment of concussion (SAC) as its objective score, although it has not been shown to be valid unless administered shortly after injury. A research team deployed to Iraq between January and April 2009 to examine the validity of several tests of neurocognitive function following a concussion, including the MACE. When administered more than 12 hours after the concussive injury, the MACE lacked sufficient sensitivity and specificity to be clinically useful.

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