Application of the CHALICE clinical prediction rule for intracranial injury in children outside the UK: Impact on head CT rate

Abstract

Objective: The children's head injury algorithm for the prediction of important clinical events (CHALICE) is one of the strongest clinical prediction rules for the management of children with head injuries. The authors set out to determine the impact of this rule on the proportion of head injured patients receiving a CT scan in a major Australian paediatric emergency department. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Tertiary paediatric hospital emergency department in Australia (67 000 patients/year). Patients: All head injured patients presenting to the emergency department in 2004. Main outcome measures: Actual proportion of head injured patients receiving a CT scan compared with th..