Neurological deterioration in alert patients with an acute CNS disorder can be subtle, but current coma scales may not clearly capture changes in level of alertness. Many coma scales include components such as eye opening and content of speech, features that are difficult to assess in intubated patients and patients with facial trauma. Two new tools have been devised by the authors. The compone...

AIM To assess the importance of the first aid and medical care administered on the battlefield and at a field surgical unit for the outcome of craniocerebral war injuries. METHODS State of consciousness of 38 persons with craniocerebral injuries was assessed by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and follow-up of the vital signs and neurological deficit were determined by GCS outcome scale. RESUL...

OBJECTIVES To determine if a specific intracerebral hemorrhage ratio predicts poor outcome; whether predictors of outcome in adults, specifically hemorrhage location, ventricular involvement, or initial Glasgow Coma Scale score, predict outcome in childhood hemorrhagic stroke; and whether the cause of hemorrhagic stroke predicts outcome. DESIGN Retrospective case study. SETTING A single terti...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the use of reflex cough PEF as a predictor of successful extubation in neurological patients who were candidates for weaning from mechanical ventilation. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of 135 patients receiving mechanical ventilation for more than 24 h in the ICU of Cristo Redentor Hospital, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Reflex cough PEF, the rapid shall...

STUDY OBJECTIVE Aeromedical crews offer an advanced level of practice and rapid transport to definitive care; however, their efficacy remains unproven. Previous studies have used relatively small sample sizes or have been unable to adequately control for the effect of other potentially influential variables. Here we explore the impact of aeromedical response in patients with moderate to severe ...

AIM To identify the potential prognostic factors for mortality after falls from height. METHOD A retrospective clinical observational study included victims of fall of >6m from October 2000 to December 2007. Variables studied comprised each casualty's age, gender, height of fall, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, Abbreviated Injury Scale scores, Injury Severity Score, heart rate, Mean Arterial ...