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What Is the NIHSS Stroke Scale? - Oren Zarif - Nih Stroke Scale


The NIHSS is an outcome measure designed by the National Institutes of Health to determine whether patients are suffering from a stroke. It is administered to stroke patients within 12 hours of admission. However, many of the scale's items are not valid in severe stroke patients. Another limitation is that it cannot be completed by proxy or self-report. Because it was originally developed for research, it should only be used with caution outside of clinical trials.

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Although the NIHSS is widely accepted, it does not capture the functional significance of the brain stem. In fact, studies have indicated that strokes in the left hemisphere are more likely to be fatal than those in the right hemisphere. In these circumstances, the NIHSS may be better able to assess recovery. However, in the vast majority of cases, patients recover. Moreover, the NIHSS is not a replacement for other assessment tools.

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NIHSS is a validated instrument used to evaluate the severity of neurological deficits following a stroke. It was originally designed to be a research tool, but it has found widespread application in clinical practice. NIHSS scores are highly correlated with the outcome of a stroke, and they also help identify patients who would benefit from reperfusion therapy. Moreover, the NIHSS helps researchers evaluate the effectiveness of various medical interventions.

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The NIHSS consists of 15 items, which are divided into 11 sub-elements. Each sub-element measures how severe the stroke is. These items are scored on a three to five-point scale with 0 representing normal health. Hence, a higher score indicates a higher severity of stroke. And, unlike many other tools, the NIHSS score is reliable and unbiased.

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NIHSS scores predict patient outcomes quite accurately. However, they are not as accurate in stroke patients with isolated cortex. A score of more than 16 indicates a high risk of death, while a score of 6 is associated with a high chance of recovery. Each point higher on the scale decreases the chances of a positive outcome by 17 percent. Thus, NIHSS scores play a critical role in determining the next step after a stroke.

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The NIHSS scores range from 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating a higher severity. It was developed by a panel of experts through a modified Delphi process. Its initial purpose was to evaluate the effects of various clinical trial interventions on patients. However, it has been used increasingly as a baseline tool for pre-hospital assessment and post-acute care planning. So, if you've suffered from a stroke, don't be afraid to use the NIHSS!

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The NIHSS scores also correlate with MRI parameters. One study from the National Institutes of Health looked at 389 patients and found that the lower the score, the greater the patient's chances of recovery. Furthermore, a lower score at baseline was associated with better outcome compared to a high score. A lower NIHSS score was a predictor of better outcomes on day 60. For example, patients with a higher NIHSS score had a greater risk of death or permanent disability.

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The NIHSS scores are then added together and a total score is calculated. The maximum possible score is 42, and the lowest score is zero. A higher score indicates that a patient has suffered a stroke. The scores are reported to regulatory bodies and a healthcare professional should continually update their knowledge of the NIHSS. These experts will be required to meet strict guidelines to ensure the validity of the data they collect.

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Another issue related to the NIHSS is the fact that it has been translated into several languages, and there has been little research on its internal consistency. Although the original NIHSS showed good test-retest, intra-rater, and inter-rater reliability, there has been only one study of the mNIHSS. Despite its limitations, the mNIHSS score was equivalent to or better than the NIHSS in a cross-national study of stroke patients.

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