The Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Severity Scale (CPSSS) is a clinical calculator used in the prehospital setting to identify patients who are likely to have a large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke. This scoring system is specifically designed for use in patients who are suspected of having a stroke. The CPSSS is particularly useful in triaging patients in the field, helping to determine the most appropriate destination hospital (i.e., primary stroke center vs. comprehensive stroke center) based on the likelihood of LVO. The scale includes three assessments: facial droop, arm drift, and speech. Each assessment is scored as normal or abnormal, with higher scores indicating a higher likelihood of LVO. There are no specific exclusion criteria for its use, but it should be noted that the CPSSS is not designed to diagnose stroke, but rather to identify those who are likely to have an LVO and may therefore benefit from more aggressive interventions.
Reference
Brian S Katz, Jason T McMullan, Heidi Sucharew et al. Design and validation of a prehospital scale to predict stroke severity: Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Severity Scale. Stroke. 2015 Jun;46(6):1508-12.
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