OBJECTIVE In bacterial meningitis, a decreased level of consciousness is predictive for unfavorable outcome, but the clinical features and outcome in patients presenting with a minimal score on the Glasgow Coma Scale are unknown. METHODS We assessed the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcome of patients with bacterial meningitis presenting with a minimal score on the Glasgow Coma Sc...

Numerous scoring scales have been proposed and validated to evaluate coma for rapid pre-hospital assessment and triage, disease severity, and prognosis for morbidity and mortality. These scoring systems have been predicated on core features that serve as a basis for this review and include ease of use, inter-rater reliability, reproducibility, and predictive value. Here we review the benefits a...

Blink reflexes were studied in 21 patients in coma after severe head injury. Our observations suggest that blink reflexes are a simple, objective, neurophysiological test to evaluate brainstem function. Correlations between these reflexes and the anatomoclinical stanges of coma and the Glasgow coma scale have been established. Presence of the early R1 component shows the integrity of at least a...

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to determine the prevalence of rhythmic coma patterns in comatose children and to ascertain the prognostic significance of reactive rhythmic coma patterns. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed and classified electroencephalogram (EEGs) in comatose children between two months and 18 years of age during the period 1996 - 2003 according to modified Young's classi...

Coma is the state of unrousable unconsciousness. There are variations in the degree of coma and the findings and signs found on the patient's clinical examination depend on the underlying cause of the disorder. The Glasgow Coma scale evaluates the best motor, verbal and eye answers of the patient. A patient is considered to be in a coma if his Glasgow Coma Scale is below 8 points. The progress ...