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Canadian C-Spine Rule study for alert and stable trauma patients: II. Study objectives and methodology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Ian G. Stiell ,
George A. Wells ,
R. Douglas McKnight ,
Robert Brison ,
Howard Lesiuk ,
Catherine M. Clement ,
Mary A. Eisenhauer ,
Gary H. Greenberg ,
Iain MacPhail  and
Mark Reardon
...Show all authors
Ian G. Stiell*
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
George A. Wells
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
R. Douglas McKnight
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Robert Brison
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Howard Lesiuk
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Catherine M. Clement
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Mary A. Eisenhauer
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Gary H. Greenberg
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Iain MacPhail
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Mark Reardon
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
James Worthington
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Richard Verbeek
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Jonathan Dreyer
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Daniel Cass
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Michael Schull
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Laurie Morrison
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Brian Rowe
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Brian Holroyd
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Glen Bandiera
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Andreas Laupacis
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; and the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
*
Clinical Epidemiology Unit, F6, Ottawa Health Research Institute, 1053 Carling Ave., Ottawa ON K1Y 4E9; 613 798–5555 x18688, fax 613 761–5351, istiell@ohri.ca

Abstract

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Clinical prediction rules are decision-making tools that incorporate three or more variables from the history, physical examination or simple tests. They help clinicians make diagnostic or therapeutic decisions by standardizing the collection and interpretation of clinical data. There is growing interest in the methodological standards for their development and validation. This article describes the methods used to derive the Canadian C-Spine Rule and provides a valuable reference for investigators planning to develop future clinical prediction rules.

Keywords

Canadian C-Spine Ruletrauma, bluntclinical prediction rulesdecision-makinginjury, cervical-spineradiographyemergency medicine
Type
Methodology: The Science of EM • Méthodologie: Science de la MU
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 4 , Issue 3 , May 2002 , pp. 185 - 193
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2002

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