A simple 3-item stroke scale: comparison with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and prediction of middle cerebral artery occlusion.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to design a simple stroke scale that requires minimal training but reflects initial stroke severity and is predictive of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. METHODS The new stroke scale assessed 3 parameters: (1) level of consciousness, (2) gaze, and (3) motor function. Each item was graded 0 to 2, where 0 indicated normal findings and 2 severe abnormalities (ie, profound drowsiness or worse, forced gaze deviation, and severe hemiparesis, respectively). During a study period of 11 months, patients presenting with acute stroke symptoms (onset < or =6 hours) were examined by a stroke neurologist assessing the new scale as well as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). In addition, 83 patients received acute magnetic resonance angiography (MRA; as part of an acute stroke protocol). RESULTS The new stroke scale was strongly associated with the NIHSS. Interobserver reliability of the new scale was high (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.947). Using post hoc analysis, a score of > or =4 predicted proximal vessel occlusion (T-segment or M1-segment occlusion of the MCA on MRA) almost as accurately (overall accuracy 0.86) as an NIHSS score of >or =14 (overall accuracy 0.93). CONCLUSIONS The new stroke scale reflects acute stroke severity well and predicts proximal MCA occlusion with reasonable accuracy. However, the clinical scale needs further evaluation before it can be recommended as a tool for the triage of acute stroke patients.