Royal College of Physicians, 2015 · DOI: · Published: January 1, 2015
The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) may not be suitable for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients due to their altered baseline physiology and response to illness. Sympathetic nervous system disruption in SCI patients can lead to lower baseline blood pressures, bradycardia, and impaired vasomotor response. Autonomic dysreflexia, common in SCI patients, may not trigger the NEWS despite being a medical emergency due to the scoring system's tolerance of higher systolic blood pressures.
Clinicians should be aware of the limitations of the NEWS in SCI patients and consider their unique physiological characteristics when assessing them.
Hospitals should consider developing SCI-specific early warning scores or modifying the NEWS to better suit this patient population.
Healthcare professionals should be educated about the altered physiology of SCI patients and the potential pitfalls of using standard early warning scores.