A systematic review including 4 studies with a total of 132 subjects was abstracted in DARE. The specificity of clinical findings for diagnosing compartment syndrome was low (13 to 19%). The positive predictive values (PPV) of clinical findings were 11 to 15%, while the sensitivity and negative predictive values (NPV) were both 97% to 98%. The probability of compartment syndrome was between 19 and 26% with one clinical finding; 68% with pain and pain with passive stretch; 93% with pain, pain with passive stretch, and paresis; and 98% with all four clinical signs.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison).