Assessment of coma
Written and reviewed by Dr Ibrahim Imam, Consultant Neurologist. Last reviewed .
Assessment of coma. Unarousable unresponsiveness, Absent sleep-wake cycles. Fully referenced neurology checklist.
Clinical features
- Unarousable unresponsiveness
- Absent sleep-wake cycles
- The eyes are usually closed but there may be slow eye-opening
Central neurological examination
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Peripheral neurological examination
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Come severity scales
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Investigations
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References
- Kondziella D, Bender A, Diserens K, EAN Panel on Coma, Disorders of Consciousness. European Academy of Neurology guideline on the diagnosis of coma and other disorders of consciousness. Eur J Neurol 2020; 27:741-756.
- Kondziella D, Frontera JA. Pearls & Oy-sters: Eyes-open coma. Neurology 2021; 96:864-867.
- Bateman DE. Neurological assessment of coma. JNNP 2001; 71 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):i13-i17.
