A new study published in Spine examines how accurately the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale predicts the need for tracheostomy after cervical spinal cord injury.
There were 383 patients who had fractures, dislocations or ligamentous injury in the cervical spine included in the study. The researchers found:
1. Around 15 percent of the patients underwent tracheostomy.
2. The ASIA Impairment Scale of A had a specificity of 98.8 percent and 32.2 percent sensitivity for predicting tracheostomy need.
3. The ASIA Impairment Scale had a 1.2 percent false-positive rate.
4. The ASIA Impairment Scale was the most significant predictor after regression for Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale and Chest Abbreviated Injury Scale, according to the report.
5. The patients' neurological injury level wasn't a significant predictor for tracheostomy.
"Given the relatively low risk of early tracheostomy and potential benefits, an ASIA Impairment Scale of A would be a sensible early criterion to determine the need for tracheostomy," concluded the study authors.