Annals of Emergency Medicine Journal Club. Journal club: clinical prediction rules

Ann Emerg Med. 2009 Nov;54(5):672-3. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2009.09.015.

Abstract

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC: Previous out-of-hospital studies indicate that selective spinal immobilization may miss patients with cervical injury. WHAT QUESTION THIS STUDY ADDRESSED: Can paramedics apply the Canadian C-Spine Rule in alert, stable, cooperative, blunt-trauma patients to reserve spinal immobilization for high-risk patients while avoiding immobilization for low-risk patients? WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS TO OUR KNOWLEDGE: In this 1,949-patient cohort, paramedics achieved 100% sensitivity and 38% specificity for important cervical fractures. HOW THIS MIGHT CHANGE CLINICAL PRACTICE: Use of the Canadian C-spine Rule by paramedics may safely avoid unnecessary spinal immobilization.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Editorial Policies
  • Emergency Medicine*
  • Humans
  • Journal Impact Factor
  • Periodicals as Topic*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Quality Control
  • United States