NIH Stroke Scale
Neurology
Also known as: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale · NIH-Stroke-Scale (NIHSS) · NIHSS-Score · NIH İnme Skalası (NIHSS) · National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)
What it is for
NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS): a standardised bedside examination that quantifies neurological deficit in acute stroke; 15 items are scored and summed (0 = no measurable deficit, maximum 42).
Classification
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| 1a Level of consciousness | 0-3 |
| 1b Questions (month, age) | 0-2 |
| 1c Commands (open/close eyes, grip) | 0-2 |
| 2 Best gaze (horizontal eye movements) | 0-2 |
| 3 Visual fields | 0-3 |
| 4 Facial palsy | 0-3 |
| 5a/5b Motor arm, left/right | 0-4 each (drift test) |
| 6a/6b Motor leg, left/right | 0-4 each (drift test) |
| 7 Limb ataxia | 0-2 |
| 8 Sensory | 0-2 |
| 9 Best language (aphasia) | 0-3 |
| 10 Dysarthria | 0-2 |
| 11 Extinction and inattention (neglect) | 0-2 |
| Total | 0 to 42; higher means a larger deficit. |
| Commonly quoted severity bands | 0 no stroke symptoms; 1-4 minor; 5-15 moderate; 16-20 moderate to severe; 21-42 severe. These bands are not part of the original scale and studies use different cut-offs. |
Source
Measurements of acute cerebral infarction: a clinical examination scale
Stroke 1989;20:864–870 (Brott T et al.)
PMID: 2749846
- Edition
- NIHSS 15-item version (Brott et al. 1989; standard item set used today)
- Checked on
Summary of the published classification in our own words. Not a substitute for the original publication.
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