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Yan D, Simei L, Hongzhao B, Hongyan D, Yuchao D. Prognosis of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness after brain injury: a longitudinal cohort study. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1421779. [PMID: 39114510 PMCID: PMC11303146 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1421779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The findings regarding the prognosis of prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC) vary widely among different studies. This study aims to investigate the mortality, consciousness recovery and disabilities of patients with PDOC after brain injury. Methods A total of 204 patients with PDOC were included in a longitudinal cohort study, including 129 males and 75 females. There were 112 cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), 62 cases of cerebral hemorrhage (CH), 13 cases of cerebral infarction (CI) and 17 cases of ischemic hypoxic encephalopathy (IHE). The status of consciousness at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 months of the disease course was assessed or followed up using the Revised Coma Recovery Scale (CRS-R). If the patients were conscious, the disability Rating Scale (DRS) was also performed. The prognosis of different PDOC including coma, vegetative state (VS) and minimal conscious state (MCS) was analyzed. The survival patients were screened for variables and included in multivariate binary Logistic regression to screen the factors affecting the recovery of consciousness. Results The mortality rates at 12, 24, 36, and 48 months were 10.7, 23.4, 38.9, and 68.4%, respectively. The median time of death was 18 months (8.75, 29). The probability of MCS regaining consciousness was higher than VS (p < 0.05), with the degree of disability left lower than VS (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between MCS- and MCS+ groups in terms of the probability of regaining consciousness, the extent of residual disability, and mortality rates (p > 0.05). The mortality rate of coma was higher than that of other PDOC (p < 0.05). The mortality rate of MCS was lower than that of VS, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The probability of consciousness recovery after TBI was the highest and the mortality rate was the lowest. The possibility of consciousness recovery in IHE was the least, and the mortality rate of CI was the highest. The cause of brain injury and initial CRS-R score were the factors affecting the consciousness recovery of patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion The prognosis of MCS is more favorable than VS, with comparable outcomes between MCS- and MCS+, while comatose patients was the poorest. TBI has the best prognosis and IHE has the worst prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Yan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hospital of Zhejiang People’s Armed Police, Hangzhou, China
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Pavlov YG, Spiegelsberger F, Kotchoubey B. Predicting outcome in disorders of consciousness: A mega-analysis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024; 11:1465-1477. [PMID: 38591650 PMCID: PMC11187962 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.52061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Assessing recovery potential in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) is pivotal for guiding clinical and ethical decisions. We conducted a mega-analysis of individual patient data to understand (1) if a time threshold exists, beyond which regaining consciousness is almost impossible, and (2) how recovery varies based on factors such as diagnosis, etiology, age, sex, and neuropsychological status. METHODS A systematic literature search revealed a total of 3290 patients. In this sample, we performed a Cox proportional hazards analysis for interval censored data. RESULTS We observed a late saturation of probability to regain consciousness in Kaplan-Meier curves, and the annual rate of recovery was remarkably stable, in that approximately 35% of patients regained consciousness per year. Patients in minimally conscious state (MCS) recovered more frequently than patients in unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS). No significant difference was observed between the recovery dynamics of MCS subgroups: MCS+ and MCS-. Patients with hypoxic brain lesions showed worse recovery rate than patients with traumatic brain injury and patients with vascular brain lesions, while the latter two categories did not differ from each other. Male patients had moderately better chance to regain consciousness. While younger UWS patients recovered more frequently than older patients, it was not the case in MCS. INTERPRETATION Our findings highlight the necessity for neurologists to exercise caution when making negative predictions in individual cases, challenge traditional beliefs regarding recovery timelines, and underscore the importance of conducting detailed and prolonged assessments to better understand recovery prospects in DoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri G. Pavlov
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral NeurobiologyUniversity of TübingenTübingen72076Germany
| | - Franziska Spiegelsberger
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral NeurobiologyUniversity of TübingenTübingen72076Germany
| | - Boris Kotchoubey
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral NeurobiologyUniversity of TübingenTübingen72076Germany
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3
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Llorens R, Ippoliti C, Navarro MD, Colomer C, Maza A, Goizueta S, Olaya J, Moliner B, Ferri J, Noé E. Minimally conscious state plus versus minus: Likelihood of emergence and long-term functional independence. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024; 11:719-728. [PMID: 38366789 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Severe brain injuries can result in disorders of consciousness, such as the Minimally Conscious State (MCS), where individuals display intermittent yet discernible signs of conscious awareness. The varied levels of responsiveness and awareness observed in this state have spurred the progressive delineation of two subgroups within MCS, termed "plus" (MCS+) and "minus" (MCS-). However, the clinical validity of these classifications remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate and compare the likelihood of emergence from MCS, as well as the functional independence after emergence, in individuals categorized as in MCS+ and MCS-. METHODS Demographic and behavioral data of 80 participants, admitted as either in MCS+ (n = 30) or MCS- (n = 50) to a long-term neurorehabilitation unit, were retrospectively analyzed. The neurobehavioral condition of each participant was evaluated weekly until discharge, demise, or emergence from MCS. The functional independence of those participants who emerged from MCS was assessed 6 months after emergence. RESULTS While only about half of the individuals classified as in MCS- (n = 24) emerged from the MCS, all those admitted as in MCS+ did, and in a shorter postinjury period. Despite these differences, all individuals who emerged from the MCS demonstrated similar high disability and low functional independence 6 months after emergence, regardless of their state at admission. INTERPRETATION Individuals classified as MCS+ exhibited a higher likelihood of emergence and a shorter time to emergence compared to those in MCS-. However, the level of functional independence 6 months after emergence was found to be unrelated to the initial state at admission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Llorens
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Camilla Ippoliti
- SC Neurologia, Salute Pubblica, Disabilità - Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Carolina Colomer
- IRENEA, Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Vithas, València, Spain
| | - Anny Maza
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Sandra Goizueta
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - José Olaya
- IRENEA, Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Vithas, València, Spain
| | - Belén Moliner
- IRENEA, Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Vithas, València, Spain
| | - Joan Ferri
- IRENEA, Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Vithas, València, Spain
| | - Enrique Noé
- IRENEA, Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Vithas, València, Spain
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4
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Carlson JM, Lin DJ. Prognostication in Prolonged and Chronic Disorders of Consciousness. Semin Neurol 2023; 43:744-757. [PMID: 37758177 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1775792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DOCs) longer than 28 days may continue to make significant gains and achieve functional recovery. Occasionally, this recovery trajectory may extend past 3 (for nontraumatic etiologies) and 12 months (for traumatic etiologies) into the chronic period. Prognosis is influenced by several factors including state of DOC, etiology, and demographics. There are several testing modalities that may aid prognostication under active investigation including electroencephalography, functional and anatomic magnetic resonance imaging, and event-related potentials. At this time, only one treatment (amantadine) has been routinely recommended to improve functional recovery in prolonged DOC. Given that some patients with prolonged or chronic DOC have the potential to recover both consciousness and functional status, it is important for neurologists experienced in prognostication to remain involved in their care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Carlson
- Division of Neurocritical Care, Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina Hospital, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - David J Lin
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Division of Neurocritical Care and Stroke Service, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Providence, Rhode Island
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5
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Zhang B, O'Brien K, Woo J, Chi B, Reeh C, Li S, Kothari S. Specialized intensive inpatient rehabilitation is crucial and time-sensitive for functional recovery from disorders of consciousness. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1126532. [PMID: 37090984 PMCID: PMC10117854 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1126532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundDisorders of consciousness (DoCs) after severe brain injury are considered to be conditions with dire prognosis. Despite the accumulating evidence, inpatient rehabilitation is often denied by payers referring to the Medicare/Medicaid criteria, under the assumption that such patients will not “actively” participate in therapy or make “measurable improvements.”ObjectiveThis study aimed to report on the effectiveness and efficiency of a specialized inpatient DoC rehabilitation program based on measurable clinical parameters.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted. The cohort comprised 137 patients with DoC admitted to a specialized acute inpatient rehabilitation program between January 2014 and October 2018. Patients were categorized as having been admitted at the acute stage (<=28 days post-injury), subacute stage (29–365 days following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or 29–90 days following a non-TBI), or chronic stage (>365 days following a TBI or >90 days following a non-TBI). Outcomes included changes in level of consciousness (based on the Coma Recovery Scale–Revised (CRS-R), while also acknowledging scenarios beyond those captured by the CRS-R via Individualized Qualitative Behavioral Assessment and team consensus); Functional Independence Measure (FIM) levels; achievements in decannulation and initiation of oral diet; and time to those achievements.ResultsThe rates of emergence from a minimally conscious state were 90, 62, and 18% among patients admitted at the acute, subacute, and chronic stages, respectively. Among patients who emerged, 100, 85, and 67%, respectively, had measurable FIM scores. Approximately 60 and 20% of patients at the acute and subacute stages, respectively, required moderate assistance or less in transfer/communication/eating/grooming/upper body dressing by the time of discharge from Phase I admission. The decannulation rates were 94, 67, and 17%. The oral diet initiation rates were 70, 23, and 6%. The time to reach these achievements lengthened as chronicity increased. There was a weak positive correlation (rs = 0.308) in the case of decannulation and a strong positive correlation (rs = 0.606, both p < 0.01) in the case of oral diet between days since injury on admission and days to the achievement after admission. Patients with TBI and hypoxic brain injury had comparable recovery rates when admitted at the acute and subacute stages.ConclusionSpecialized intensive inpatient rehabilitation is crucial and time-sensitive for functional recovery from DoC caused by TBI and hypoxic–ischemic brain injury. Specific goals and different outcome measures need to be developed to appraise the benefits of acute inpatient rehabilitation for DoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Zhang
- TIRR Disorders of Consciousness Program, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Neurology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Bei Zhang
| | - Katherine O'Brien
- TIRR Disorders of Consciousness Program, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Katherine O'Brien Katherine.O'
| | - Jean Woo
- TIRR Disorders of Consciousness Program, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Bradley Chi
- TIRR Disorders of Consciousness Program, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Colton Reeh
- TIRR Disorders of Consciousness Program, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sheng Li
- TIRR Disorders of Consciousness Program, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sunil Kothari
- TIRR Disorders of Consciousness Program, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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Raciti L, Raciti G, Militi D, Tonin P, Quartarone A, Calabrò RS. Sleep in Disorders of Consciousness: A Brief Overview on a Still under Investigated Issue. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020275. [PMID: 36831818 PMCID: PMC9954700 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Consciousness is a multifaceted concept, involving both wakefulness, i.e., a condition of being alert that is regulated by the brainstem, and awareness, a subjective experience of any thoughts or perception or emotion. Recently, the European Academy of Neurology has published international guidelines for a better diagnosis of coma and other disorders of consciousness (DOC) through the investigation of sleep patterns, such as slow-wave and REM, and the study of the EEG using machine learning methods and artificial intelligence. The management of sleep disorders in DOC patients is an increasingly hot topic and deserves careful diagnosis, to allow for the most accurate prognosis and the best medical treatment possible. The aim of this review was to investigate the anatomo-physiological basis of the sleep/wake cycle, as well as the main sleep patterns and sleep disorders in patients with DOC. We found that the sleep characteristics in DOC patients are still controversial. DOC patients often present a theta/delta pattern, while epileptiform activity, as well as other sleep elements, have been reported as correlating with outcomes in patients with coma and DOC. The absence of spindles, as well as REM and K-complexes of NREM sleep, have been used as poor predictors for early awakening in DOC patients, especially in UWS patients. Therefore, sleep could be considered a marker of DOC recovery, and effective treatments for sleep disorders may either indirectly or directly favor recovery of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Militi
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, 98121 Messina, Italy
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7
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Long-Term Outcomes among Patients with Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020194. [PMID: 36831737 PMCID: PMC9954359 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the long-term survival and functional outcomes of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC) 1-8 years after brain injuries. METHODS Retrospective study to assess the long-term survival and functional outcomes of patients with pDoC was conducted. We performed Cox regression and multivariate logistic regression to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for the outcome of survival and to identify risk factors of the functional outcome. RESULTS We recruited 154 patients with pDoC. The duration of follow-up from disease onset was 1-8 years. The median age was 46 years (IQR, 32-59), and 65.6% (n = 101) of them were men. During the follow-up period, one hundred and ten patients (71.4%) survived; among them, 52 patients had a good outcome. From the overall survival curve, the 1-, 3-, and 8-year survival rates of patients were about 80.5%, 72.0%, and 69.7%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed a significant association between the lower APACHE II score (p = 0.005) (cut-off score ≥ 18) and the presence of sleep spindles (p = 0.001) with survival. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a higher CRS-R score (cut-off score ≥ 7), and presence of sleep spindles were related to a favorable outcome among patients with pDoC. CONCLUSIONS Sleep spindles are correlated with both long-term survival and long-term functional outcome in pDoC patients.
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8
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Wu Y, Li Z, Feng K, Cheng Y, Wang Y, Yin S. Prognostic factors of prolonged disorder of consciousness after stroke: A single centre retrospective study. JOURNAL OF NEURORESTORATOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnrt.2022.100032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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9
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Liuzzi P, Magliacano A, De Bellis F, Mannini A, Estraneo A. Predicting outcome of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness using machine learning models based on medical complexity. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13471. [PMID: 35931703 PMCID: PMC9356130 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17561-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with severe acquired brain injury and prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC) are characterized by high clinical complexity and high risk to develop medical complications. The present multi-center longitudinal study aimed at investigating the impact of medical complications on the prediction of clinical outcome by means of machine learning models. Patients with pDoC were consecutively enrolled at admission in 23 intensive neurorehabilitation units (IRU) and followed-up at 6 months from onset via the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE). Demographic and clinical data at study entry and medical complications developed within 3 months from admission were collected. Machine learning models were developed, targeting neurological outcomes at 6 months from brain injury using data collected at admission. Then, after concatenating predictions of such models to the medical complications collected within 3 months, a cascade model was developed. One hundred seventy six patients with pDoC (M: 123, median age 60.2 years) were included in the analysis. At admission, the best performing solution (k-Nearest Neighbors regression, KNN) resulted in a median validation error of 0.59 points [IQR 0.14] and a classification accuracy of dichotomized GOS-E of 88.6%. Coherently, at 3 months, the best model resulted in a median validation error of 0.49 points [IQR 0.11] and a classification accuracy of 92.6%. Interpreting the admission KNN showed how the negative effect of older age is strengthened when patients' communication levels are high and ameliorated when no communication is present. The model trained at 3 months showed appropriate adaptation of the admission prediction according to the severity of the developed medical complexity in the first 3 months. In this work, we developed and cross-validated an interpretable decision support tool capable of distinguishing patients which will reach sufficient independence levels at 6 months (GOS-E > 4). Furthermore, we provide an updated prediction at 3 months, keeping in consideration the rehabilitative path and the risen medical complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piergiuseppe Liuzzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via di Scandicci 269, Florence, Italy.,Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Istituto di BioRobotica, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, Italy
| | - Alfonso Magliacano
- Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Via Quadrivio, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Italy
| | - Francesco De Bellis
- Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Via Quadrivio, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Italy
| | - Andrea Mannini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Via di Scandicci 269, Florence, Italy.
| | - Anna Estraneo
- Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Via Quadrivio, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Italy.,Unità di Neurologia, Santa Maria della Pietà General Hospital, Via della Repubblica 7, Nola, Italy
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10
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Estraneo A, Magliacano A, Fiorenza S, Formisano R, Grippo A, Angelakis E, Cassol H, Thibaut A, Gosseries O, Lamberti G, Noé E, Bagnato S, Edlow BL, Chatelle C, Lejeune N, Veeramuthu V, Bartolo M, Mattia D, Toppi J, Zasler N, Schnakers C, Trojano L. Risk factors for 2-year mortality in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness: An international multicentre study. Eur J Neurol 2021; 29:390-399. [PMID: 34657359 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC) have a high mortality rate due to medical complications. Because an accurate prognosis is essential for decision-making on patients' management, we analysed data from an international multicentre prospective cohort study to evaluate 2-year mortality rate and bedside predictors of mortality. METHODS We enrolled adult patients in prolonged vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS) or minimally conscious state (MCS) after traumatic and nontraumatic brain injury within 3 months postinjury. At enrolment, we collected demographic (age, sex), anamnestic (aetiology, time postinjury), clinical (Coma Recovery Scale-Revised [CRS-R], Disability Rating Scale, Nociception Coma Scale-Revised), and neurophysiologic (electroencephalogram [EEG], somatosensory evoked and event-related potentials) data. Patients were followed up to gather data on mortality up to 24 months postinjury. RESULTS Among 143 traumatic (n = 55) and nontraumatic (n = 88) patients (VS/UWS, n = 68, 19 females; MCS, n = 75, 22 females), 41 (28.7%) died within 24 months postinjury. Mortality rate was higher in VS/UWS (42.6%) than in MCS (16%; p < 0.001). Multivariate regression in VS/UWS showed that significant predictors of mortality were older age and lower CRS-R total score, whereas in MCS female sex and absence of alpha rhythm on EEG at study entry were significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that a feasible multimodal assessment in the postacute phase can help clinicians to identify patients with pDoC at higher risk of mortality within 24 months after brain injury. This evidence can help clinicians and patients' families to navigate the complex clinical decision-making process and promote an international standardization of prognostic procedures for patients with pDoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Estraneo
- Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Florence, Italy.,Neurology Unit, Santa Maria della Pietà General Hospital, Nola, Italy
| | - Alfonso Magliacano
- Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Florence, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Salvatore Fiorenza
- Maugeri Clinical Scientific Institutes, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Laboratory for the Multimodal Evaluation of Disorders of Consciousness, Telese Terme, Italy
| | - Rita Formisano
- Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonello Grippo
- Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Efthymios Angelakis
- Neurosurgery Department, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Helena Cassol
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Aurore Thibaut
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Enrique Noé
- NEURORHB-Neurorehabilitation Service of Vithas Hospitals, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sergio Bagnato
- Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries, Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy
| | - Brian L Edlow
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Camille Chatelle
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicolas Lejeune
- Centre Hospitalier Neurologique William Lennox, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | | | | | - Donatella Mattia
- Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | - Jlenia Toppi
- Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Nathan Zasler
- Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Caroline Schnakers
- Research Institute, Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Luigi Trojano
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
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11
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Nekrasova J, Kanarskii M, Borisov I, Pradhan P, Shunenkov D, Vorobiev A, Smirnova M, Pasko V, Petrova MV, Luginina E, Pryanikov I. One-Year Demographical and Clinical Indices of Patients with Chronic Disorders of Consciousness. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050651. [PMID: 34065687 PMCID: PMC8156613 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This work aims to evaluate the prognostic value of the demographical and clinical data on long-term outcomes (up to 12 months) in patients with severe acquired brain injury with vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS/UWS) or a minimally conscious state (MCS). Patients (n = 211) with VS/UWS/UWS (n = 123) and MCS (n = 88) were admitted to the Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology after anoxic brain injury (n = 53), vascular lesions (n = 59), traumatic brain injury (n = 93), and other causes (n = 6). At the beginning of the 12-month study, younger age and a higher score by the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) predicted a survival. However, no reliable markers of significant positive dynamics of consciousness were found. Based on the etiology, anoxic brain injury has the most unfavorable prognosis. For patients with vascular lesions, the first three months after injury have the most important prognostic value. No correlations were found between survival, increased consciousness, and gender. The demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with chronic DOC can be used to predict long-term mortality in patients with chronic disorders of consciousness. Further research should be devoted to finding reliable predictors of recovery of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Nekrasova
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Mikhail Kanarskii
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Ilya Borisov
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Pranil Pradhan
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-(977)-709-4468
| | - Denis Shunenkov
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Alexey Vorobiev
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Maria Smirnova
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Vera Pasko
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Marina V. Petrova
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
- Department of Anestesiology-Reanimatology, People’s Friendship University of Russia, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena Luginina
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
| | - Igor Pryanikov
- Department for the Study of Chronic Disorder of Consciousness, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, 107031 Moscow, Russia; (J.N.); (M.K.); (I.B.); (D.S.); (A.V.); (I.P.); (M.S.); (V.P.); (M.V.P.); (E.L.)
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12
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Behavioral signs of recovery from unresponsive wakefulness syndrome to emergence of minimally conscious state after severe brain injury. Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2021; 65:101534. [PMID: 33933691 DOI: 10.1016/j.rehab.2021.101534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A precise description of behavioral signs denoting transition from an unresponsive wakefulness syndrome/vegetative state (UWS/VS) to minimally conscious state (MCS) or emergence from MCS after severe brain injury is crucial for prognostic purposes. A few studies have attempted this goal but involved non-standardized instruments, limited temporal accuracy or samples or focused on patients with (sub)acute condition. OBJECTIVES We aimed to describe the behavioral signs that led to a change in diagnosis as well as the factors affecting this transition in a large sample of patients with chronic disorders of consciousness after severe brain injury. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, patients in UWS/VS or MCS were assessed with the Coma Recovery Scale Revised (CRS-R) at 5 times within the 2 weeks after their admission to a neurorehabilitation center and then weekly until emergence from MCS, discharge or death. RESULTS Of the 185 patients included, 33 in UWS/VS and 45 in MCS transitioned to another state. Transition to MCS was mostly denoted by one behavioral sign (71%), predominantly visual fixation, followed by localization to noxious stimulation, and visual pursuit, and could be predicted by etiology, time post-injury and age. Emergence from MCS was characterized by one sign in 64% of patients and by 2 signs (functional communication and objects use) in the remaining patients and could be predicted by time post-injury and number of behavioral signs at admission. CONCLUSIONS Transition from UWS to MCS was predominantly signalled by visual fixation and could be predicted by etiology, time post-injury and age. Emergence from MCS was mostly signalled by one sign and could be predicted by time post-injury and number of behavioral signs at admission. Clinicians should pay particular attention to visual and motor subscales of the CRS-R to detect behavioral recovery after severe brain injury. Database registration. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04687397.
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13
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Noé E, Ferri J, Olaya J, Navarro MD, O’Valle M, Colomer C, Moliner B, Ippoliti C, Maza A, Llorens R. When, How, and to What Extent Are Individuals with Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome Able to Progress? Neurobehavioral Progress. Brain Sci 2021; 11:126. [PMID: 33478033 PMCID: PMC7835897 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate estimation of the neurobehavioral progress of patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) is essential to anticipate their most likely clinical course and guide clinical decision making. Although different studies have described this progress and possible predictors of neurobehavioral improvement in these patients, they have methodological limitations that could restrict the validity and generalization of the results. This study investigates the neurobehavioral progress of 100 patients with UWS consecutively admitted to a neurorehabilitation center using systematic weekly assessments based on standardized measures, and the prognostic factors of changes in their neurobehavioral condition. Our results showed that, during the analyzed period, 34% of the patients were able to progress from UWS to minimally conscious state (MCS), 12% of the total sample (near one third from those who progressed to MCS) were able to emerge from MCS, and 10% of the patients died. Transition to MCS was mostly denoted by visual signs, which appeared either alone or in combination with motor signs, and was predicted by etiology and the score on the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised at admission with an accuracy of 75%. Emergence from MCS was denoted in the same proportion by functional communication and object use. Predictive models of emergence from MCS and mortality were not valid and the identified predictors could not be accounted for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Noé
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - Joan Ferri
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - José Olaya
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - María Dolores Navarro
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - Myrtha O’Valle
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - Carolina Colomer
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - Belén Moliner
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - Camilla Ippoliti
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
| | - Anny Maza
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Bioingeniería, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46011 València, Spain;
| | - Roberto Llorens
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.F.); (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (R.L.)
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Bioingeniería, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46011 València, Spain;
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14
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Estraneo A, Masotta O, Bartolo M, Pistoia F, Perin C, Marino S, Lucca L, Pingue V, Casanova E, Romoli A, Gentile S, Formisano R, Salvi GP, Scarponi F, De Tanti A, Bongioanni P, Rossato E, Santangelo A, Diana AR, Gambarin M, Intiso D, Antenucci R, Premoselli S, Bertoni M, De Bellis F. Multi-center study on overall clinical complexity of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness of different etiologies. Brain Inj 2020; 35:1-7. [PMID: 33331792 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2020.1861652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Aim: to assess overall clinical complexity of patients with acquired disorders of consciousness (DoC) in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS) vs. minimally conscious state- MCS) and in different etiologies..Design: Multi-center cross-sectional observational study.Setting: 23 intensive neurorehabilitation units.Subjects: 264 patients with DoC in the post-acute phase: VS/UWS = 141, and MCS = 123 due to vascular (n = 125), traumatic (n = 83) or anoxic (n = 56) brain injury.Main Measures: Coma Recovery Scale-Revised, and Disability Rating Scale (DRS); presence of medical devices (e.g., for eating or breathing); occurrence and severity of medical complications.Results: patients in DoC, and particularly those in VS/UWS, showed severe overall clinical complexity. Anoxic patients had higher overall clinical complexity, lower level of responsiveness/consciousness, higher functional disability, and higher needs of medical devices. Vascular patients had worse premorbid clinical comorbidities. The two etiologies showed a comparable rate of MC, higher than that observed in traumatic etiology.Conclusion: overall clinical complexity is significantly higher in VS/UWS than in MCS, and in non-traumatic vs. traumatic etiology. These findings could explain the worse clinical evolution reported in anoxic and vascular etiologies and in VS/UWS patients and contribute to plan patient-tailored care and rehabilitation programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Estraneo
- Department of Acquired Brain Injury, IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy.,Neurology Unit, Santa Maria Della Pietà General Hospital, Nola, Italy
| | - O Masotta
- Lab for DoC Study, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, SB S.p.A. Lab for DoC Study, Telese Terme, Italy
| | - M Bartolo
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo, Italy
| | - F Pistoia
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Neurological Institute, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - C Perin
- Unità di Neuroriabilitazione Cognitiva, Istituti Clinici Zucchi, Carate Brianza, Italy
| | - S Marino
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Messina, Italy
| | - L Lucca
- Unità di Riabilitazione Gravi Cerebrolesioni, Istituto S. Anna, Crotone, Italy
| | - V Pingue
- Unità Medicina Riabilitativa Neuromotoria, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, SB S.p.A, Pavia, Italy
| | - E Casanova
- Casa dei Risvegli Luca De Nigris, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore, Bologna, Italy
| | - A Romoli
- Department of Acquired Brain Injury, IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
| | - S Gentile
- Dip. di Riabilitazione, F.T. Camplani Clinica Ancelle Carità, Cremona, Italy
| | - R Formisano
- Unità Post-Coma e di Ricerca Traslazionale, IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - G P Salvi
- U.F. Riabilitazione Neuromotoria, Istituto Clinico Quarenghi, S. Pellegrino Terme, Italy
| | - F Scarponi
- Dip. di Neurologia - UGCA, Ospedale S. Giovanni Battista, Foligno, Italy
| | - A De Tanti
- Centro Cardinal Ferrari, S. Stefano Riabilitazione, Fontanellato di Parma, Italy
| | - P Bongioanni
- Severe Acquired Brain Injuries Dept Section, Integrated Care Dept of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - E Rossato
- Centro Medicina del Sonno, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Verona, Italy
| | - A Santangelo
- Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries, Rehabilitation Dept, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy
| | - A R Diana
- Dip. Neuroscienze e Riabilitazione, Azienda Ospedaliera Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy
| | - M Gambarin
- Unità Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione, Ospedale Riabilitativo Di Marzana, Verona, Italy
| | - D Intiso
- Unità di Medicina Fisica e Neuroriabilitazione, IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - R Antenucci
- Unità di Medicina Riabilitativa Intensiva, Ospedale Castel San Giovanni, Italy
| | - S Premoselli
- Struttura di Riabilitazione Neuromotoria, Presidio Ospedaliero Vimercate, Monza, Italy
| | - M Bertoni
- Presidio di Riabilitazione Neuromotoria, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale dei Sette Laghi, Cuasso Al Monte, Italy
| | - F De Bellis
- Dept. of Acquired Brain Injury, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Italy
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15
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Olaya J, Noé E, Navarro MD, O’Valle M, Colomer C, Moliner B, Ippoliti C, Ferri J, Maza A, Llorens R. When, How, and to What Extent Are Individuals with Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome Able to Progress? Functional Independence. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E990. [PMID: 33339138 PMCID: PMC7765669 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate estimation of the functional independence of patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) is essential to adjust family and clinical expectations and plan long-term necessary resources. Although different studies have described the clinical course of these patients, they have methodological limitations that could restrict generalization of the results. This study investigates the neurobehavioral progress of 100 patients with UWS consecutively admitted to a neurorehabilitation center using systematic weekly assessments based on standardized measures, and the functional independence staging of those patients who emerged from a minimally conscious state (MCS) during the first year post-emergence. Our results showed that one year after emergence, most patients were severely dependent, although some of them showed extreme or moderate severity. Clinically meaningful functional improvement was less likely to occur in cognitively-demanding activities, such as activities of daily living and executive function. Consequently, the use of specific and staging functional independence measures, with domain-specific evaluations, are recommended to detect the functional changes that might be expected in these patients. The information provided by these instruments, together with that obtained from repeated assessments of the preserved consciousness with standardized instruments, could help clinicians to adjust expectations and plan necessary resources for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Olaya
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - Enrique Noé
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - María Dolores Navarro
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - Myrtha O’Valle
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - Carolina Colomer
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - Belén Moliner
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - Camilla Ippoliti
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - Joan Ferri
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
| | - Anny Maza
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Bioingeniería, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46011 València, Spain;
| | - Roberto Llorens
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, Fundación Vithas, Callosa d’En Sarrià 12, 46007 València, Spain; (J.O.); (M.D.N.); (M.O.); (C.C.); (B.M.); (C.I.); (J.F.); or (R.L.)
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Bioingeniería, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46011 València, Spain;
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16
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Naro A, Calabrò RS. Towards New Diagnostic Approaches in Disorders of Consciousness: A Proof of Concept Study on the Promising Use of Imagery Visuomotor Task. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100746. [PMID: 33080823 PMCID: PMC7603054 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: advanced paraclinical approaches using functional neuroimaging and electroencephalography (EEG) allow identifying patients who are covertly aware despite being diagnosed as unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS). Bedside detection of covert awareness employing motor imagery tasks (MI), which is a universally accepted clinical indicator of awareness in the absence of overt behavior, may miss some of these patients, as they could still have a certain level of awareness. We aimed at assessing covert awareness in patients with UWS using a visuomotor-guided motor imagery task (VMI) during EEG recording. Methods: nine patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS), 11 patients in a UWS, and 15 healthy individuals (control group—CG) were provided with an VMI (imagine dancing while watching a group dance video to command), a simple-MI (imagine squeezing their right hand to command), and an advanced-MI (imagine dancing without watching a group dance video to command) to detect command-following. We analyzed the command-specific EEG responses (event-related synchronization/desynchronization—ERS/ERD) of each patient, assessing whether these responses were appropriate, consistent, and statistically similar to those elicited in the CG, as reliable markers of motor imagery. Results: All patients in MCS, all healthy individuals and one patient in UWS repeatedly and reliably generated appropriate EEG responses to distinct commands of motor imagery with a classification accuracy of 60–80%. Conclusions: VMI outperformed significantly MI tasks. Therefore, patients in UWS may be still misdiagnosed despite a rigorous clinical assessment and an appropriate MI assessment. It is thus possible to suggest that motor imagery tasks should be delivered to patients with chronic disorders of consciousness in visuomotor-aided modality (also in the rehabilitation setting) to greatly entrain patient’s participation. In this regard, the EEG approach we described has the clear advantage of being cheap, portable, widely available, and objective. It may be thus considered as, at least, a screening tool to identify the patients who deserve further, advanced paraclinical approaches.
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17
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Song M, Yang Y, Yang Z, Cui Y, Yu S, He J, Jiang T. Prognostic models for prolonged disorders of consciousness: an integrative review. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:3945-3961. [PMID: 32306061 PMCID: PMC11104990 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03512-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness (DoC) are acquired conditions of severe altered consciousness. During the past decades, some prognostic models for DoC have been explored on the basis of a variety of predictors, including demographics, neurological examinations, clinical diagnosis, neurophysiology and brain images. In this article, a systematic review of pertinent literature was conducted. We identified and evaluated 21 prognostic models involving a total of 1201 DoC patients. In terms of the reported accuracies of predicting the prognosis of DoC, these 21 models vary widely, ranging from 60 to 90%. Using improvement of consciousness level as favorable outcome criteria, we performed a quantitative meta-analysis, and found that the pooled sensitivity and specificity of the hybrid model that combined more than one technique were both superior to those of any single technique, including EEG and fMRI at the tasks and resting state. These results support the view that any single technique has its own advantages and limitations; and the integrations of multiple techniques, including diverse brain images and different paradigms, have the potential to improve predictive accuracy for DoC. Then, we provide methodological points of view and some prospects about future research. Totally, in comparison to a great many diagnostic methods for the DoC, the research of prognostic models is sparse and preliminary, still largely in its infancy with many challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Song
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Zhengyi Yang
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Yue Cui
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Shan Yu
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Jianghong He
- Department of Neurosurgery, The 7th Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100070, China.
| | - Tianzi Jiang
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 625014, China.
- The Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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18
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Estraneo A, Fiorenza S, Magliacano A, Formisano R, Mattia D, Grippo A, Romoli AM, Angelakis E, Cassol H, Thibaut A, Gosseries O, Lamberti G, Noé E, Bagnato S, Edlow BL, Chatelle C, Lejeune N, Veeramuthu V, Bartolo M, Toppi J, Zasler N, Schnakers C, Trojano L. Multicenter prospective study on predictors of short-term outcome in disorders of consciousness. Neurology 2020; 95:e1488-e1499. [PMID: 32661102 PMCID: PMC7713739 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000010254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This international multicenter, prospective, observational study aimed at identifying predictors of short-term clinical outcome in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DoC) due to acquired severe brain injury. METHODS Patients in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS) or in minimally conscious state (MCS) were enrolled within 3 months from their brain injury in 12 specialized medical institutions. Demographic, anamnestic, clinical, and neurophysiologic data were collected at study entry. Patients were then followed up for assessing the primary outcome, that is, clinical diagnosis according to standardized criteria at 6 months postinjury. RESULTS We enrolled 147 patients (44 women; mean age 49.4 [95% confidence interval 46.1-52.6] years; VS/UWS 71, MCS 76; traumatic 55, vascular 56, anoxic 36; mean time postinjury 59.6 [55.4-63.6] days). The 6-month follow-up was complete for 143 patients (VS/UWS 70; MCS 73). With respect to study entry, the clinical diagnosis improved in 72 patients (VS/UWS 27; MCS 45). Younger age, shorter time postinjury, higher Coma Recovery Scale-Revised total score, and presence of EEG reactivity to eye opening at study entry predicted better outcome, whereas etiology, clinical diagnosis, Disability Rating Scale score, EEG background activity, acoustic reactivity, and P300 on event-related potentials were not associated with outcome. CONCLUSIONS Multimodal assessment could identify patients with higher likelihood of clinical improvement in order to help clinicians, families, and funding sources with various aspects of decision-making. This multicenter, international study aims to stimulate further research that drives international consensus regarding standardization of prognostic procedures for patients with DoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Estraneo
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA.
| | - Salvatore Fiorenza
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Alfonso Magliacano
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Rita Formisano
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Donatella Mattia
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Antonello Grippo
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Anna Maria Romoli
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Efthymios Angelakis
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Helena Cassol
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Aurore Thibaut
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Gianfranco Lamberti
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Enrique Noé
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Sergio Bagnato
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Brian L Edlow
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Camille Chatelle
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Nicolas Lejeune
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Vigneswaran Veeramuthu
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Michelangelo Bartolo
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Jlenia Toppi
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Nathan Zasler
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Caroline Schnakers
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
| | - Luigi Trojano
- From IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi (A.E., A.G., A.M.R.), Florence; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS (S.F.), SB S.p.A., Laboratorio di Valutazione Multimodale dei Disordini della Coscienza, Telese Terme (BN); Department of Psychology (A.M., L.T.), University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Caserta; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS (R.F., D.M.), Rome, Italy; Neurosurgery Department (E.A.), University of Athens Medical School, Greece; Coma Science Group (H.C., A.T., O.G.), GIGA Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, Belgium; Neurorehabilitation and Vegetative State Unit (G.L.), E. Viglietta, Cuneo, Italy; NEURORHB-Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas (E.N.), Valencia, Spain; Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries (S.B.), Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù, Italy; Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (B.L.E., C.C.), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; CHN William Lennox (N.L.), Ottignies, Belgium; Department of Psychology (V.V.), University of Reading Malaysia; Neurorehabilitation Unit (M.B.), HABILITA Zingonia/Ciserano, Bergamo; Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering (J.T.), Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. (N.Z.), Richmond; and Research Institute (C.S.), Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA
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Chen WG, Li R, Zhang Y, Hao JH, Du JB, Guo AS, Song WQ. Recovery from prolonged disorders of consciousness: A dual-center prospective cohort study in China. World J Clin Cases 2020; 8:2520-2529. [PMID: 32607329 PMCID: PMC7322439 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i12.2520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent innovations in intensive care have improved the prognosis of patients with severe brain injuries and brought more patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). Data are lacking regarding the long-term outcomes of those patients in China. It is necessary to study the long-term outcomes of patients with prolonged DoC in light of many factors likely to influence crucial decisions about their care and their life.
AIM To present the preliminary results of a DoC cohort.
METHODS This was a two-center prospective cohort study of inpatients with vegetative state (VS)/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS). The study outcomes were the recovery from VS/UWS to minimally conscious state (MCS) and the long-term status of patients with prolonged DoC considered in VS/UWS or MCS for up to 6 years. The patients were evaluated using the Glasgow coma scale, coma recovery scale-revised, and Glasgow outcome scale. The endpoint of follow-up was recovery of full consciousness or death. The changes in the primary clinical outcome improvement in clinical diagnosis were evaluated at 12 mo compared with baseline.
RESULTS The study population included 93 patients (62 VS/UWS and 31 MCS). The post-injury interval range was 28-634 d. Median follow-up was 20 mo (interquartile range, 12-37 mo). At the endpoint, 33 transitioned to an emergence from MCS or full consciousness, eight had a locked-in syndrome, and there were 35 patients remaining in a VS/UWS and 11 in an MCS. Seven (including one locked-in syndrome) patients (7.5%) died within 12 mo of injury. Compared with the unresponsive group (n = 52) at 12 mo, the responsive group (n = 41) had a higher proportion of males (87.8% vs 63.5%, P = 0.008), shorter time from injury (median, 40.0 d vs 65.5 d, P = 0.006), higher frequency of vascular etiology (68.3% vs 38.5%, P = 0.007), higher Glasgow coma scale score at admission (median, 9 vs 6, P < 0.001), higher coma recovery scale-revised score at admission (median, 9 vs 2.5, P < 0.001), at 1 mo (median, 14 vs 5, P < 0.001), and at 3 mo (median, 20 vs 6, P < 0.001), lower frequency of VS/UWS (36.6% vs 90.0%, P < 0.001), and more favorable Glasgow outcome scale outcome (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION Patients with severe DoC, despite having strong predictors of poor prognosis, might recover consciousness after a prolonged time of rehabilitation. An accurate initial diagnosis of patients with DoC is critical for predicting outcome and a long-term regular follow-up is also important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Guan Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ran Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Jian-Hui Hao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Ju-Bao Du
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Ai-Song Guo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wei-Qun Song
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
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Hurford J. The Briggsian Heresy? Should Previously Expressed Wishes Determine Best Interests in Decisions Relating to Withdrawal of Clinically-Assisted Nutrition and Hydration? New Bioeth 2020; 26:238-252. [PMID: 32449486 DOI: 10.1080/20502877.2020.1758491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
This paper examines the Court of Protection decision in Briggs v Briggs. It considers whether the approach of the Court, which gave effective decisive weight to a patient's previously expressed wishes about whether he should be kept alive in a minimally conscious state, is a proper application of the 'best interests' test under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It assesses whether the Briggs approach is effectively applying a 'substituted judgement' test and considers the difficulties in ascertaining what a person's actual wishes are.
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Molteni E, Colombo K, Beretta E, Galbiati S, Santos Canas LD, Modat M, Strazzer S. Comparison of Multi-class Machine Learning Methods for the Identification of Factors Most Predictive of Prognosis in Neurobehavioral assessment of Pediatric Severe Disorder of Consciousness through LOCFAS scale. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2020; 2019:269-272. [PMID: 31945893 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2019.8856880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Severe Disorders of Consciousness (DoC) are generally caused by brain trauma, anoxia or stroke, and result in conditions ranging from coma to the confused-agitated state. Prognostic decision is difficult to achieve during the first year after injury, especially in the pediatric cases. Nevertheless, prognosis crucially informs rehabilitation decision and family expectations. We compared four multi-class machine learning classification approaches for the prognostic decision in pediatric DoC. We identified domains of a neurobehavioral assessment tool, Level of Cognitive Functioning Assessment Scale, mostly contributing to decision in a cohort of 124 cases. We showed the possibility to generalize to new admitted pediatric cases, thus paving the way for real employment of machine learning classifiers as an assistive tool to prognostic decision in clinics.
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Steppacher I, Fuchs P, Kaps M, Nussbeck FW, Kissler J. A tree of life? Multivariate logistic outcome-prediction in disorders of consciousness. Brain Inj 2019; 34:399-406. [DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2019.1695289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Inga Steppacher
- Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
- Department medical Psychology and medical Sociology, University of Göettingen, Göettingen, Germany
| | - Peter Fuchs
- Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Michael Kaps
- Lurija Institute, Kliniken Schmieder, Allensbach, Germany
| | | | - Johanna Kissler
- Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
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23
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Current validity of diagnosis of permanent vegetative state: a longitudinal study in a sample of patients with altered states of consciousness. NEUROLOGÍA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrleng.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Estraneo A, De Bellis F, Masotta O, Loreto V, Fiorenza S, Lo Sapio M, Trojano L. Demographical and clinical indices for long-term evolution of patients in vegetative or in minimally conscious state. Brain Inj 2019; 33:1633-1639. [DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2019.1658220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A Estraneo
- Disorders of Consciousness Laboratory, Institute of Telese Terme, Maugeri Scientific and Clinical Institutes, IRCCS, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
- Department of Neurology, Santa Maria della Pietà General Hospital, Nola, Italy
| | - F De Bellis
- Disorders of Consciousness Laboratory, Institute of Telese Terme, Maugeri Scientific and Clinical Institutes, IRCCS, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
| | - O Masotta
- Disorders of Consciousness Laboratory, Institute of Telese Terme, Maugeri Scientific and Clinical Institutes, IRCCS, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
| | - V Loreto
- Disorders of Consciousness Laboratory, Institute of Telese Terme, Maugeri Scientific and Clinical Institutes, IRCCS, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
- Department of Neurology, Santa Maria della Pietà General Hospital, Nola, Italy
| | - S Fiorenza
- Disorders of Consciousness Laboratory, Institute of Telese Terme, Maugeri Scientific and Clinical Institutes, IRCCS, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
| | - M Lo Sapio
- Disorders of Consciousness Laboratory, Institute of Telese Terme, Maugeri Scientific and Clinical Institutes, IRCCS, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
| | - L Trojano
- Neuropsychology Lab., Department of Psychology, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Caserta, Italy
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Bareham CA, Allanson J, Roberts N, Hutchinson PJA, Pickard JD, Menon DK, Chennu S. Longitudinal assessments highlight long-term behavioural recovery in disorders of consciousness. Brain Commun 2019; 1:fcz017. [PMID: 31886461 PMCID: PMC6924536 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate diagnosis and prognosis of disorders of consciousness is complicated by the variability amongst patients' trajectories. However, the majority of research and scientific knowledge in this field is based on cross-sectional studies. The translational gap in applying this knowledge to inform clinical management can only be bridged by research that systematically examines follow-up. In this study, we present findings from a novel longitudinal study of the long-term recovery trajectory of 39 patients, repeatedly assessed using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised once every 3 months for 2 years, generating 185 assessments. Despite the expected inter-patient variability, there was a statistically significant improvement in behaviour over time. Further, improvements began approximately 22 months after injury. Individual variation in the trajectory of recovery was influenced by initial diagnosis. Patients with an initial diagnosis of unresponsive wakefulness state, who progressed to the minimally conscious state, did so at a median of 485 days following onset-later than 12-month period after which current guidelines propose permanence. Although current guidelines are based on the expectation that patients with traumatic brain injury show potential for recovery over longer periods than those with non-traumatic injury, we did not observe any differences between trajectories in these two subgroups. However, age was a significant predictor, with younger patients showing more promising recovery. Also, progressive increases in arousal contributed exponentially to improvements in behavioural awareness, especially in minimally conscious patients. These findings highlight the importance of indexing arousal when measuring awareness, and the potential for interventions to regulate arousal to aid long-term behavioural recovery in disorders of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne A Bareham
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Judith Allanson
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Neil Roberts
- Sawbridgeworth Medical Services, Jacobs & Gardens Neuro Centres, Sawbridgeworth CM21 0HH, UK
| | - Peter J A Hutchinson
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - John D Pickard
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - David K Menon
- Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Srivas Chennu
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- School of Computing, University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, ME4 4AG, UK
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Lucca LF, Lofaro D, Pignolo L, Leto E, Ursino M, Cortese MD, Conforti D, Tonin P, Cerasa A. Outcome prediction in disorders of consciousness: the role of coma recovery scale revised. BMC Neurol 2019; 19:68. [PMID: 30999877 PMCID: PMC6472098 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-019-1293-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To evaluate the utility of the revised coma remission scale (CRS-r), together with other clinical variables, in predicting emergence from disorders of consciousness (DoC) during intensive rehabilitation care. Methods Data were retrospectively extracted from the medical records of patients enrolled in a specialized intensive rehabilitation unit. 123 patients in a vegetative state (VS) and 57 in a minimally conscious state (MCS) were included and followed for a period of 8 weeks. Demographical and clinical factors were used as outcome measures. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were employed for examining potential predictors for clinical outcome along the time. Results VS and MCS groups were matched for demographical and clinical variables (i.e., age, aetiology, tracheostomy and route of feeding). Within 2 months after admission in intensive neurorehabilitation unit, 3.9% were dead, 35.5% had a full recovery of consciousness and 66.7% remained in VS or MCS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the best predictor of functional improvement was the CRS-r scores. In particular, patients with values greater than 12 at admission were those with a favourable likelihood of emergence from DoC. Conclusions Our study highlights the role of the CRS-r scores for predicting a short-term favorable outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Francesca Lucca
- S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), 88900, Crotone, Italy.
| | - Danilo Lofaro
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Energetica e Gestionale - DIMEG, UNICAL, Arcavata di Rende (CS), Rende, Italy.,Kidney and Transplantation Research Center, Annunziata Hospital, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Loris Pignolo
- S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), 88900, Crotone, Italy
| | - Elio Leto
- S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), 88900, Crotone, Italy
| | - Maria Ursino
- S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), 88900, Crotone, Italy
| | - Maria Daniela Cortese
- S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), 88900, Crotone, Italy
| | - Domenico Conforti
- Kidney and Transplantation Research Center, Annunziata Hospital, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Paolo Tonin
- S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), 88900, Crotone, Italy
| | - Antonio Cerasa
- S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), 88900, Crotone, Italy. .,Neuroimaging Unit, IBFM-CNR, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
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Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatments in Perceived Devastating Brain Injury: The Key Role of Uncertainty. Neurocrit Care 2019; 30:33-41. [PMID: 30143963 DOI: 10.1007/s12028-018-0595-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (WOLST) is the leading proximate cause of death in patients with perceived devastating brain injury (PDBI). There are reasons to believe that a potentially significant proportion of WOLST decisions, in this setting, are premature and guided by a number of assumptions that falsely confer a sense of certainty. METHOD This manuscript proposes that these assumptions face serious challenges, and that we should replace unwarranted certainty with an appreciation for the great degree of multi-dimensional uncertainty involved. The article proceeds by offering a taxonomy of uncertainty in PDBI and explores the key role that uncertainty as a cognitive state, may play into how WOLST decisions are reached. CONCLUSION In order to properly share decision-making with families and surrogates of patients with PDBI, we will have to acknowledge, understand, and be able to communicate the great degree of uncertainty involved.
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Pascarella A, Fiorenza S, Masotta O, Tibollo V, Vella D, Nardone A, Rossi M, Volanti P, Madonia F, Castronovo G, De Cicco D, Guarnaschelli C, Achilli MP, Chiapparino C, Angelillo MT, Tommasi MA, Pisano F, Grioni G, Vezzadini G, Ferriero G, Salvaderi S, Bellazzi R, Estraneo A. Multicentre registry of brain-injured patients with disorder of consciousness: rationale and preliminary data. FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY 2019; 33:19-30. [PMID: 29633693 PMCID: PMC5901937 DOI: 10.11138/fneur/2018.33.1.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Diagnostic accuracy and reliable estimation of clinical evolution are challenging issues in the management of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). Longitudinal systematic investigations conducted in large cohorts of patients with DoC could make it possible to identify reliable diagnostic and prognostic markers. On the basis of this consideration, we devised a multicentre prospective registry for patients with DoC admitted to ten intensive rehabilitation units. The registry collects homogeneous and detailed data on patients' demographic and clinical features, neurophysiological and neuroimaging findings, and medical and surgical complications. Here we present the rationale and the design of the registry and the preliminary results obtained in 53 patients with DoC (vegetative state or minimally conscious state) enrolled during the first seven months of the study. Data at 6-month post-injury follow-up were available for 46 of them. This registry could be an important tool for collecting high-quality data through the application of rigorous methods, and it could be used in the routine management of patients with DoC admitted to rehabilitation settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Pascarella
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme, ICS Maugeri, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
| | - Salvatore Fiorenza
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme, ICS Maugeri, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
| | - Orsola Masotta
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme, ICS Maugeri, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
| | - Valentina Tibollo
- Laboratory of System Engineer for Clinical Research, ICS Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Danila Vella
- Laboratory of System Engineer for Clinical Research, ICS Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonio Nardone
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Pavia, ICS Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Rossi
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Pavia, ICS Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Paolo Volanti
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Mistretta, ICS Maugeri, Mistretta (ME), Italy
| | - Francesca Madonia
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Mistretta, ICS Maugeri, Mistretta (ME), Italy
| | | | - Domenico De Cicco
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Sciacca, ICS Maugeri, Sciacca (AG), Italy
| | | | - Maria Pia Achilli
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Montescano, ICS Maugeri, Montescano (PV), Italy
| | - Concetta Chiapparino
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Cassano delle Murge, ICS Maugeri, Cassano delle Murge (BA), Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Angelillo
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Cassano delle Murge, ICS Maugeri, Cassano delle Murge (BA), Italy
| | | | - Fabrizio Pisano
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Veruno, ICS Maugeri, Veruno (NO), Italy
| | - Giuseppe Grioni
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Castel Goffredo, ICS Maugeri, Castel Goffredo (MN), Italy
| | - Giuliana Vezzadini
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Castel Goffredo, ICS Maugeri, Castel Goffredo (MN), Italy
| | - Giorgio Ferriero
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Lissone, ICS Maugeri, Lissone (MB), Italy
| | - Stefano Salvaderi
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institute of Lissone, ICS Maugeri, Lissone (MB), Italy
| | - Riccardo Bellazzi
- Laboratory of System Engineer for Clinical Research, ICS Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Estraneo
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme, ICS Maugeri, Telese Terme (BN), Italy
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Cavaliere C, Kandeepan S, Aiello M, Ribeiro de Paula D, Marchitelli R, Fiorenza S, Orsini M, Trojano L, Masotta O, St Lawrence K, Loreto V, Chronik BA, Nicolai E, Soddu A, Estraneo A. Multimodal Neuroimaging Approach to Variability of Functional Connectivity in Disorders of Consciousness: A PET/MRI Pilot Study. Front Neurol 2018; 9:861. [PMID: 30405513 PMCID: PMC6200912 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral assessments could not suffice to provide accurate diagnostic information in individuals with disorders of consciousness (DoC). Multimodal neuroimaging markers have been developed to support clinical assessments of these patients. Here we present findings obtained by hybrid fludeoxyglucose (FDG-)PET/MR imaging in three severely brain-injured patients, one in an unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS), one in a minimally conscious state (MCS), and one patient emerged from MCS (EMCS). Repeated behavioral assessment by means of Coma Recovery Scale-Revised and neurophysiological evaluation were performed in the two weeks before and after neuroimaging acquisition, to ascertain that clinical diagnosis was stable. The three patients underwent one imaging session, during which two resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) blocks were run with a temporal gap of about 30 min. rs-fMRI data were analyzed with a graph theory approach applied to nine independent networks. We also analyzed the benefits of concatenating the two acquisitions for each patient or to select for each network the graph strength map with a higher ratio of fitness. Finally, as for clinical assessment, we considered the best functional connectivity pattern for each network and correlated graph strength maps to FDG uptake. Functional connectivity analysis showed several differences between the two rs-fMRI acquisitions, affecting in a different way each network and with a different variability for the three patients, as assessed by ratio of fitness. Moreover, combined PET/fMRI analysis demonstrated a higher functional/metabolic correlation for patients in EMCS and MCS compared to UWS. In conclusion, we observed for the first time, through a test-retest approach, a variability in the appearance and temporal/spatial patterns of resting-state networks in severely brain-injured patients, proposing a new method to select the most informative connectivity pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Cavaliere
- IRCCS SDN, Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare, Naples, Italy.,Coma Science Group, GIGA-Research, University and University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Sivayini Kandeepan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Marco Aiello
- IRCCS SDN, Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Rocco Marchitelli
- IRCCS SDN, Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare, Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Fiorenza
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Maugeri ICS, IRCCS, Telese Terme, Italy
| | - Mario Orsini
- IRCCS SDN, Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Trojano
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Orsola Masotta
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Maugeri ICS, IRCCS, Telese Terme, Italy
| | - Keith St Lawrence
- Lawson Health Research Institute London, Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Vincenzo Loreto
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Maugeri ICS, IRCCS, Telese Terme, Italy
| | - Blaine Alexander Chronik
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Emanuele Nicolai
- IRCCS SDN, Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Soddu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Estraneo
- Neurorehabilitation Unit and Research Laboratory for Disorder of Consciousness, Maugeri ICS, IRCCS, Telese Terme, Italy
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30
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Do Medical Complications Impact Long-Term Outcomes in Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness? Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2018; 99:2523-2531.e3. [PMID: 29807003 DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2018.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate medical complications (MCs) occurring within 6 months postinjury in brain-injured patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DoC) and to evaluate impact of MC on mortality and long-term clinical outcomes. DESIGN Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING Rehabilitation unit for acquired DoC. PARTICIPANTS Patients (N=194) with DoC (142 in vegetative state [VS], 52 in minimally conscious state; traumatic etiology 43, anoxic 69, vascular 82) consecutively admitted to a neurorehabilitation unit within 1-3 months postonset. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mortality and improvements in clinical diagnosis and functional disability level (assessed by Coma Recovery Scale-Revised [CRS-R] and Disability Rating Scale) at 12, 24, and 36 months postonset. RESULTS Within 6 months postinjury, 188 of 194 patients (>95%) developed at least 1 MC and 142 of them (73%) showed at least 1 severe MC. Respiratory and musculoskeletal-cutaneous MCs were the most frequent, followed by endocrino-metabolic abnormalities. Follow-up, complete in 189 of 194 patients, showed that male sex and endocrine-metabolic MCs were associated with higher risk of mortality at all timepoints. Old age, anoxic etiology, lower CRS-R total scores, and diagnosis of VS at study entry predicted no clinical and functional improvements at most timepoints; however, epilepsy predicted no improvement in diagnosis at 24 months postonset only. CONCLUSIONS MCs are very frequent in patients with DoC within at least 6 months after brain injury, regardless of clinical diagnosis, etiology, and age. Endocrino-metabolic MCs are independent predictors of mortality at all timepoints; however,epilepsy predicted poor long-term outcome. Occurrence and severity of MCs in patients with DoC call for long-term appropriate levels of care after the postacute phase.
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Knox L, Douglas JM. A scoping review of the nature and outcomes of extended rehabilitation programmes after very severe brain injury. Brain Inj 2018; 32:1000-1010. [DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2018.1468924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Knox
- Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Summer Foundation, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jacinta M. Douglas
- Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Summer Foundation, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
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32
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Steppacher I, Kissler J. The living dead? Perception of persons in the unresponsive wakefulness syndrome in Germany compared to the USA. BMC Psychol 2018; 6:5. [PMID: 29467036 PMCID: PMC5822482 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-018-0217-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extent to which people ascribe mind to others has been shown to predict the extent to which human rights are conferred. Therefore, in the context of disorders of consciousness (DOC), mind ascription can influence end of life decisions. A previous US-American study indicated that participants ascribed even less mind to patients with unresponsive-wakefulness-syndrome (UWS) than to the dead. Results were explained in terms of implicit dualism and religious beliefs, as highly religious people ascribed least mind to UWS. Here, we addresses mind ascription to UWS patients in Germany. METHODS We investigate the perception of UWS patients in a large German sample (N = 910) and compare the results to the previous US data, addressing possible cultural differences. We further assess effects of medical expertise, age, gender, socio-economic status and subjective knowledge about UWS in the German sample. RESULTS Unlike the US sample, German participants did not perceive UWS patients as "more dead than dead", ascribing either equal (on 3 of 5 items) or more (on 2 items) mental abilities to UWS patients than to the dead. Likewise, an effect of implicit dualism was not replicated and German medically trained participants ascribed more capabilities to UWS patients than did a non-medical sample. Within the German sample, age, gender, religiosity and socio-economic status explained about 15% of the variability of mind ascription. Age and religiosity were individually significant predictors, younger and more religious people ascribing more mind. Gender had no effect. CONCLUSION Results are consistent with cross-cultural differences in the perception of UWS between Germany and the USA, Germans ascribing more mind to UWS patients. The German sample ascribed as much or more but not less mind to a UWS patient than to a deceased, although within group variance was large, calling for further research. Mind ascription is vital, because, in times of declining resources for healthcare systems, and an increasing legalization of euthanasia, public opinion will influence UWS patients' rights and whether 'the right to die' will be the only right conceded to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Steppacher
- Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Johanna Kissler
- Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
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Noé E, Olaya J, Colomer C, Moliner B, Ugart P, Rodriguez C, Llorens R, Ferri J. Current validity of diagnosis of permanent vegetative state: A longitudinal study in a sample of patients with altered states of consciousness. Neurologia 2017; 34:589-595. [PMID: 28712840 DOI: 10.1016/j.nrl.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Altered states of consciousness have traditionally been associated with poor prognosis. At present, clinical differences between these entities are beginning to be established. METHOD Our study included 37 patients diagnosed with vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and 43 in a minimally conscious state (MCS) according to the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). All patients were followed up each month for at least 6 months using the CRS-R. We recorded the time points when vegetative state progressed from 'persistent' to 'permanent' based on the cut-off points established by the Multi-Society-Task-Force: 12 months in patients with traumatic injury and 3 months in those with non-traumatic injury. A logistic regression model was used to determine the factors potentially predicting which patients will emerge from MCS. RESULTS In the UWS group, 23 patients emerged from UWS but only 9 emerged from MCS. Of the 43 patients in the MCS group, 26 patients emerged from that state during follow-up. Eight of the 23 patients (34.7%) who emerged from UWS and 17 of the 35 (48.6%) who emerged from MCS recovered after the time points proposed by the Multi-Society-Task-Force. According to the multivariate regression analysis, aetiology (P<.01), chronicity (P=.01), and CRS-R scores at admission (P<.001) correctly predicted emergence from MCS in 77.5% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS UWS and MCS are different clinical entities in terms of diagnosis and outcomes. Some of the factors traditionally associated with poor prognosis, such as time from injury and likelihood of recovery, should be revaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Noé
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España.
| | - J Olaya
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España
| | - C Colomer
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España
| | - B Moliner
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España
| | - P Ugart
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España
| | - C Rodriguez
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España
| | - R Llorens
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España; Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Bioingeniería, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, España
| | - J Ferri
- Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación y Daño Cerebral, Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Fundación Hospitales Vithas-NISA, Valencia, España
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Yelden K, Duport S, James LM, Kempny A, Farmer SF, Leff AP, Playford ED. Late recovery of awareness in prolonged disorders of consciousness -a cross-sectional cohort study. Disabil Rehabil 2017. [PMID: 28633545 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1339209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To detect any improvement of awareness in prolonged disorders of consciousness in the long term. METHODS A total of 34 patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (27 vegetative state and seven minimally conscious state; 16 males; aged 21-73) were included in the study. All patients were initially diagnosed with vegetative/minimally conscious state on admission to our specialist neurological rehabilitation unit. Re-assessment was performed 2-16 years later using Coma Recovery Scale-Revised. RESULTS Although remaining severely disabled, 32% of the patients showed late improvement of awareness evidenced with development of non-reflexive responses such as reproducible command following and localization behaviors. Most of the late recoveries occurred in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (5/11, 45.5%). The ages of patients within the late recovery group (Mean = 45, SD = 11.4) and non-recovery group (Mean = 43, SD = 15.5) were not statistically different (p = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS This study shows that late improvements in awareness are not exceptional in non-traumatic prolonged disorders of consciousness cases. It highlights the importance of long-term follow up of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness, regardless of the etiology, age, and time passed since the brain injury. Long-term follow up will help clinicians to identify patients who may benefit from further assessment and rehabilitation. Although only one patient achieved recovery of function, recovery of awareness may have important ethical implications especially where withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration is considered. Implications for rehabilitation Long-term regular follow-up of people with prolonged disorders of consciousness is important. Albeit with poor functional outcomes late recovery of awareness is possible in both traumatic and non-traumatic prolonged disorders of consciousness cases. Recovery of awareness has significant clinical and ethical implications especially where withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kudret Yelden
- a Research Department , Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability , London , UK.,b Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation , Institute of Neurology, University College London , London , UK
| | - Sophie Duport
- a Research Department , Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability , London , UK
| | - Leon M James
- c Neurophysiology Department , Cromwell Hospital , London , UK
| | - Agnieszka Kempny
- a Research Department , Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability , London , UK.,b Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation , Institute of Neurology, University College London , London , UK
| | - Simon F Farmer
- d Department of Neurology , National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery , London , UK
| | - Alex P Leff
- b Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation , Institute of Neurology, University College London , London , UK.,e Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience , University College London , London , UK
| | - E Diane Playford
- a Research Department , Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability , London , UK.,b Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation , Institute of Neurology, University College London , London , UK
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36
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Pascarella A, Trojano L, Loreto V, Bilo L, Moretta P, Estraneo A. Long-term outcome of patients with disorders of consciousness with and without epileptiform activity and seizures: a prospective single centre cohort study. J Neurol 2016; 263:2048-56. [PMID: 27416857 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-016-8232-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 07/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Brain-injured patients can experience epileptic seizures beyond 1 week from injury (unprovoked remote symptomatic epileptic seizures). In our longitudinal observational study, we analysed occurrence of unprovoked remote epileptic seizures and interictal epileptiform activity in 130 traumatic, vascular or anoxic inpatients with disorders of consciousness (DOC), with a clinical diagnosis of vegetative state (n = 97) or minimally conscious state (n = 33). We also investigated impact of epileptic seizures and epileptiform activity on clinical outcome (30 months post-onset). Epileptic seizures occurred in 35/130 patients (26.9 %), epileptiform activity in 61/130 (46.9 %) patients, without significant differences related to clinical diagnosis or aetiology. Among patients with epileptiform activity, only 26/61 (42.6 %) developed clinically evident seizures. Mortality at 30 months was not significantly influenced by the presence of seizures or epileptiform activity. The proportion of patients who recovered at long-term follow-up was higher in patients without than in patients with epileptic seizures, but was similar in patients with or without epileptiform activity. The presence of epileptic seizures but not of epileptiform activity, significantly affected the level of responsiveness at final outcome. In conclusion, seizures were detected in about one third of the whole sample, and in about a half of patients with epileptiform activity, regardless of clinical diagnosis or aetiology. Although epileptic seizures or epileptiform activity did not significantly affect mortality rate, we demonstrated that epileptic seizures could hamper recovery of consciousness. Epileptic seizures thus qualify as one of the factors largely undetermined at the moment which can influence prognosis in DOC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Pascarella
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy
| | - Luigi Trojano
- Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Loreto
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy
| | - Leonilda Bilo
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Moretta
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy
| | - Anna Estraneo
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy.
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Noirhomme Q, Brecheisen R, Lesenfants D, Antonopoulos G, Laureys S. "Look at my classifier's result": Disentangling unresponsive from (minimally) conscious patients. Neuroimage 2015; 145:288-303. [PMID: 26690804 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the fact that clinical bedside examinations can have a high rate of misdiagnosis, machine learning techniques based on neuroimaging and electrophysiological measurements are increasingly being considered for comatose patients and patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, a minimally conscious state or locked-in syndrome. Machine learning techniques have the potential to move from group-level statistical results to personalized predictions in a clinical setting. They have been applied for the purpose of (1) detecting changes in brain activation during functional tasks, equivalent to a behavioral command-following test and (2) estimating signs of consciousness by analyzing measurement data obtained from multiple subjects in resting state. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on both approaches and discuss the translation of present findings to clinical practice. We found that most studies struggle with the difficulty of establishing a reliable behavioral assessment and fluctuations in the patient's levels of arousal. Both these factors affect the training and validation of machine learning methods to a considerable degree. In studies involving more than 50 patients, small to moderate evidence was found for the presence of signs of consciousness or good outcome, where one study even showed strong evidence for good outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Noirhomme
- Brain Innovation BV, Maastricht, Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Cyclotron Research Centre, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
| | - Ralph Brecheisen
- Brain Innovation BV, Maastricht, Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Damien Lesenfants
- School of Engineering and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Steven Laureys
- Coma Science Group, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
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38
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Steppacher I, Kaps M, Kissler J. Against the odds: a case study of recovery from coma after devastating prognosis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2015; 3:61-5. [PMID: 26783551 PMCID: PMC4704482 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To demonstrate the possibility for hidden rehabilitation potential even following most severe brain injury and the uncertainty of current prognosis factors for coma and unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, we detail the rehabilitation of J. W., after coma from traumatic brain injury. Originally, with many negative prognosis factors and several medical complications, prognosis was devastating. But, with continuing treatment, J. W. improved to a high level of independence in everyday life. This shows the need for rehabilitation research to further specify the “prognostic power” of various combinations of prognosis factors, so that practitioners can come to accurate single‐case recommendations when both positive and negative predictors are present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Steppacher
- Department for Psychology University of Bielefeld Bielefeld Germany
| | - Michael Kaps
- Kliniken Schmieder Lurija Institut Allensbach Germany
| | - Johanna Kissler
- Department for Psychology University of Bielefeld Bielefeld Germany
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39
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Renner CIE. Interrelation between Neuroendocrine Disturbances and Medical Complications Encountered during Rehabilitation after TBI. J Clin Med 2015; 4:1815-40. [PMID: 26402710 PMCID: PMC4600161 DOI: 10.3390/jcm4091815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury is not a discrete event but an unfolding sequence of damage to the central nervous system. Not only the acute phase but also the subacute and chronic period after injury, i.e., during inpatient rehabilitation, is characterized by multiple neurotransmitter alterations, cellular dysfunction, and medical complications causing additional secondary injury. Neuroendocrine disturbances also influence neurological outcome and are easily overlooked as they often present with diffuse symptoms such as fatigue, depression, poor concentration, or a decline in overall cognitive function; these are also typical sequelae of traumatic brain injury. Furthermore, neurological complications such as hydrocephalus, epilepsy, fatigue, disorders of consciousness, paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, or psychiatric-behavioural symptoms may mask and/or complicate the diagnosis of neuroendocrine disturbances, delay appropriate treatment and impede neurorehabilitation. The present review seeks to examine the interrelation between neuroendocrine disturbances with neurological complications frequently encountered after moderate to severe TBI during rehabilitation. Common neuroendocrine disturbances and medical complications and their clinical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline I E Renner
- Neurological Rehabilitation Centre, University of Leipzig, Muldentalweg 1, D-04828 Bennewitz bei Leipzig, Germany.
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40
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Willems M, Sattin D, Vingerhoets AJJM, Leonardi M. Longitudinal changes in functioning and disability in patients with disorders of consciousness: the importance of environmental factors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:3707-30. [PMID: 25837348 PMCID: PMC4410211 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120403707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness are neurological conditions associated with low levels of functioning which pose a serious challenge to public health systems. The current study aimed to examine longitudinal changes in functioning in patients with disorders of consciousness and to identify associated biopsychosocial factors using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. An Italian sample of 248 patients was assessed longitudinally. Differences in relative variability (an index of change that controls for baseline levels) between acute and chronic patients and predictors of relative variability in "Activities & Participation" were examined. Results showed that there were subgroups of patients whose functioning improved over time. The number of problems in "Activities & Participation" decreased in acute patients over time, whereas in chronic patients, an increase was found. The significant difference in relative variability for the environmental factor "support and relationships" reflects the increase in facilitators in acute patients, whereas the number of facilitators in chronic patients remained unchanged over time. Age at event, time from event, and relative variability in "Environmental Factors" were significant predictors of relative variability in "Activities & Participation". It is of clinical relevance that patients with disorders of consciousness are kept in a supportive and facilitative environment, in order to prevent a decline in their functioning. Moreover, caregivers should receive tailored support in order to enhance and facilitate appropriate care of patients with disorders of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Willems
- Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit-Scientific Directorate, Neurological Institute Carlo Besta Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Foundation, Via Celoria 11, Milan 20133, Italy.
- Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, Tilburg 5000 LE, The Netherlands.
| | - Davide Sattin
- Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit-Scientific Directorate, Neurological Institute Carlo Besta Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Foundation, Via Celoria 11, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Ad J J M Vingerhoets
- Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, Tilburg 5000 LE, The Netherlands.
| | - Matilde Leonardi
- Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit-Scientific Directorate, Neurological Institute Carlo Besta Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Foundation, Via Celoria 11, Milan 20133, Italy.
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