Jay Yarlagadda1, Shikha Joshi2, Matthew T Cerasale3, Sanah Rana1, Danielle Heidemann1. 1. Department of Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA. 2. Department of Medicine, Mercy Hospital, Springfield, MO, USA. 3. Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Inpatient falls are a patient safety concern. Limited data exist on the utility of head computed tomography (CT) for inpatient falls. The New Orleans Criteria (NOC) is a validated tool to determine the appropriateness of neuroimaging in the emergency department for falls with minor head injury. This study aimed to evaluate whether the NOC could be applied to inpatient falls. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study assessed 1 year of inpatient falls with injury at 5 inpatient facilities. Records were reviewed for demographic data, fall circumstances, laboratory results, components of the NOC, and head CT results. Cohorts included positive NOC (≥1 NOC finding) and negative NOC. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for the NOC alone, NOC plus coagulopathy, and NOC or coagulopathy for acute intracranial process. RESULTS: Of 332 inpatient falls with injury, 188 (57%) received a head CT. Of the 250 (75.3%) NOC-positive cases, 159 (63.6%) received a head CT. Of all patients who received a head CT, 7 (2.1%) showed a significant acute intracranial process. The NOC was positive in 6 of the 7 cases (sensitivity 85.7% and specificity 23.8%); the other case had a significant coagulopathy. New Orleans Criteria or coagulopathy had 100% sensitivity and 23.4% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that use of the NOC to evaluate potential intracranial injury in inpatient falls is limited. Adding criteria to the NOC may improve its test characteristics, with a sensitivity of 100% for the NOC or coagulopathy, suggesting potential clinical utility.
BACKGROUND: Inpatient falls are a patient safety concern. Limited data exist on the utility of head computed tomography (CT) for inpatient falls. The New Orleans Criteria (NOC) is a validated tool to determine the appropriateness of neuroimaging in the emergency department for falls with minor head injury. This study aimed to evaluate whether the NOC could be applied to inpatient falls. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study assessed 1 year of inpatient falls with injury at 5 inpatient facilities. Records were reviewed for demographic data, fall circumstances, laboratory results, components of the NOC, and head CT results. Cohorts included positive NOC (≥1 NOC finding) and negative NOC. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for the NOC alone, NOC plus coagulopathy, and NOC or coagulopathy for acute intracranial process. RESULTS: Of 332 inpatient falls with injury, 188 (57%) received a head CT. Of the 250 (75.3%) NOC-positive cases, 159 (63.6%) received a head CT. Of all patients who received a head CT, 7 (2.1%) showed a significant acute intracranial process. The NOC was positive in 6 of the 7 cases (sensitivity 85.7% and specificity 23.8%); the other case had a significant coagulopathy. New Orleans Criteria or coagulopathy had 100% sensitivity and 23.4% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that use of the NOC to evaluate potential intracranial injury in inpatient falls is limited. Adding criteria to the NOC may improve its test characteristics, with a sensitivity of 100% for the NOC or coagulopathy, suggesting potential clinical utility.
Entities:
Keywords:
Inpatient fall; New Orleans Criteria; cerebrovascular trauma; coagulopathy; neuroimaging
Authors: I G Stiell; G A Wells; K Vandemheen; C Clement; H Lesiuk; A Laupacis; R D McKnight; R Verbeek; R Brison; D Cass; M E Eisenhauer; G Greenberg; J Worthington Journal: Lancet Date: 2001-05-05 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Z Hassan; M Smith; S Littlewood; O Bouamra; D Hughes; C Biggin; K Amos; A D Mendelow; F Lecky Journal: Emerg Med J Date: 2005-12 Impact factor: 2.740
Authors: Marion Smits; Diederik W J Dippel; Gijs G de Haan; Heleen M Dekker; Pieter E Vos; Digna R Kool; Paul J Nederkoorn; Paul A M Hofman; Albert Twijnstra; Hervé L J Tanghe; M G Myriam Hunink Journal: JAMA Date: 2005-09-28 Impact factor: 56.272