MotoAmerica Becomes First Sports Organization to Use Abbott’s Rapid Blood Test for Concussion Evaluation On- site at Races

MotoAmerica Press Release:

Abbott, the global healthcare company, and MotoAmerica, the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America, announced today that MotoAmerica is the first professional sports organization worldwide to use Abbott’s groundbreaking blood test to help assess suspected concussions for riders in the on-site medical facilities at all races.

Abbott’s test, the i-STAT TBI test cartridge, is used to evaluate patients 18 years of age and older who present with suspected mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). It provides results in 15 minutes and may be used up to 24 hours after injury to help determine the need for a CT scan of the head. In 2024, Abbott’s i-STAT TBI test received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used with whole blood, allowing doctors to quickly assess patients with suspected mTBI on the handheld i-STAT Alinity analyzer at the patient’s side.

“This is the first ever objective test that physicians have had at the point-of-care to assist in the assessment of concussions – it changes the game,” said Carl Price, M.D., chief medical officer for MotoAmerica. “If a crash or fall does happen, the ability to quickly and objectively determine whether or not a rider needs a CT scan or additional evaluation, right there on-site, provides us—and our riders—with peace of mind."

The i-STAT TBI test cartridge will be available in on-site medical facilities for all MotoAmerica races across the U.S. during the 2025 season, beginning with the race at Michelin Raceway Road in Atlanta, Ga. (May 2-4).

“As both a neurologist and licensed physician, I know firsthand the limitations of relying on a subjective tool like the Glasgow Coma Scale in the assessment of brain injury,” said Beth McQuiston, M.D., medical director in Abbott’s diagnostics business. “The ability to objectively assess the need for a head CT scan following potential brain injury right at the point of care, whether that be at a hospital bedside or an on-site medical facility at a sporting event, means quick assessment and a quick path to the right treatment.”

At MotoAmerica, riders wear comprehensive protection, including airbag-equipped suits that inflate on impact, helmets tested for multiple impact forces, and full-body armor. The tracks also feature air fence barriers and a dedicated medical safety car. In the event of a crash or fall, immediate on-site assessment adds an extra layer of safety to determine if a rider requires a CT scan or further evaluation.

“The standard of competition and performance in MotoAmerica continues to increase,” said Chuck Aksland, chief operating officer, MotoAmerica. “Between the riders, the motorcycles, their gear, and now accessibility to the most innovative medical equipment, we continue to push our standards and practices to better protect our racers. Our use of Abbott’s rapid blood test for concussion assessment furthers this commitment and will help us evaluate medical needs quickly and on location.”

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), traumatic brain injury from accidents or sports is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 2.5 million people visit the emergency department for TBIs every year.

How the test works

The i-STAT TBI test cartridge with the i-STAT Alinity System requires a small venous blood sample – just a few drops applied to the test cartridge. The cartridge is then inserted into the portable i-STAT Alinity instrument. The test measures two brain-specific biomarkers that are released into the blood stream when there is a significant brain injury. If neither of these biomarkers measured are above an established cutoff, a significant injury has likely not occurred, and a CT scan can likely be avoided. Testing for these two biomarkers – ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) – following an injury can provide essential and objective information about a patient’s condition and can help healthcare providers decide an appropriate treatment plan.

The test was developed by Abbott, with support from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command’s (USAMRDC) U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA) and in collaboration with Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI).

The ability to use whole blood to help assess patients with suspected mTBI is an important step in Abbott’s vision to make its tests available in all settings where people seek care for head injuries. Today, the test is available to be used by hospitals, clinics, and any athletic organization with trained medical staff on-site and the ability to run moderately complex testing. Research and planning are ongoing to determine the feasibility of using these biomarkers similarly in teens and children.