NEXUS C-Spine Criteria
Determine whether cervical spine imaging can be safely avoided
For use in blunt trauma patients. Validated in a large multi-centered trial that included over 34,000 patients. Sensitivity was reported at 99.6% with a specificity of 12.9%. The rule was validated in all age ranges over 1 year, however the small numbers in the study suggest caution may be required in children under 18 years.
A comparison study between the NEXUS Criteria and the Canadian C-Spine Rule suggested that the NEXUS criteria are less sensitive (90.7 vs. 95-99%), though there remains some controversy over the results and methodology.
- [1]Hoffman et al.: Validity of a set of clinical criteria to rule out injury to the cervical spine in patients with blunt trauma.New England Journal of Medicine 2000 July 13, 343 (2): 94-9
- [2]Viccellio et al.: A prospective multicenter study of cervical spine injury in children.Pediatrics 2001, 108 (2): E20
- [3]Stiell et al.: The Canadian C-spine rule versus the NEXUS low-risk criteria in patients with trauma.New England Journal of Medicine 2003 December 25, 349 (26): 2510-8
Results
Real-time automated computation
For use in blunt trauma patients. Validated in a large multi-centered trial that included over 34,000 patients. Sensitivity was reported at 99.6% with a specificity of 12.9%. The rule was validated in all age ranges over 1 year, however the small numbers in the study suggest caution may be required in children under 18 years.
A comparison study between the NEXUS Criteria and the Canadian C-Spine Rule suggested that the NEXUS criteria are less sensitive (90.7 vs. 95-99%), though there remains some controversy over the results and methodology.
- [1]Hoffman et al.: Validity of a set of clinical criteria to rule out injury to the cervical spine in patients with blunt trauma.New England Journal of Medicine 2000 July 13, 343 (2): 94-9
- [2]Viccellio et al.: A prospective multicenter study of cervical spine injury in children.Pediatrics 2001, 108 (2): E20
- [3]Stiell et al.: The Canadian C-spine rule versus the NEXUS low-risk criteria in patients with trauma.New England Journal of Medicine 2003 December 25, 349 (26): 2510-8