An Italian population study on 600 persons in vegetative state and minimally conscious state.

OBJECTIVE To describes socio-demographic and clinical features of adults and children in vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS). DESIGN Observational cross-sectional study. METHODS Demographic, aetiological and clinical data were collected, together with patients' management procedures. Mann-Whitney U-test was used for continuous variables and chi-squared test for categorical variables. RESULTS Six hundred patients (69.7% in VS; 6% children) were enrolled. No difference regarding age at enrolment, age at acute event and disease duration was observed between VS and MCS. Disease duration was superior to 10 years for 3.3% of the whole sample and 64.3-77% of cases had a non-traumatic aetiology. Mean number of drugs per adult patient was four and decreased consistently with increased disease duration. DISCUSSION Patients with VS and MCS were similar for age at acute event and at enrolment, both over 50 years, as well as for the frequency of non-traumatic aetiology. Disease duration was similar for both conditions and 2.6% of VS and 4.8% of MCS patients survived for more than 10 years. Finally care and treatment needs are similar and not related to diagnosis.