The purpose of this study was to test the ability of serum protein S100B (S100B) and brain lipid-binding protein (BLBP) to identify athletes who sustained a sports-related concussion (SRC). Subjects included a non-athlete group, whereas the rugby players were separated into two match-control and two SRC groups. The match-control <1-h group included players undergoing venipuncture within 60-min post-match, and the match-control >1-h/<8-h group included players undergoing venipuncture between 1 and 8 h post-match; the SRC <1-h group included players undergoing venipuncture within 60-min post-SRC, and the SRC >1-h/<8-h group included players undergoing venipuncture between 1 and 8 h post-SRC. Serum S100B concentrations were not significantly different (p = 0.112) among protocols. Serum BLBP was greater in the match-control <1-h group (p < 0.001) and the SRC >1-h/<8-h group (p = 0.003) compared to the non-athlete group. The ability of serum BLBP to distinguish between SRC groups and the non-athlete group was shown to be good to excellent (AUROC, >0.8; p < 0.05), and between match-control groups and the non-athlete group were shown to be excellent (AUROC, >0.9; p < 0.05). Our results show that serum S100B is not useful in distinguishing concussed or post-match athletes from non-athletes. However, serum BLBP was shown to distinguish non-athletes from post-match or concussed athletes. Serum BLBP could not distinguish between athletes experiencing an SRC within 1 h of blood draw and those participating in a contact sport.
Keywords: brain-lipid binding protein; protein S100B; sports-related concussion.