8%
28%
24%
Mod Disab
Good Recov
0%
10%
75%
No
Yes
No
At least
localizing?
At least
inappropriate
words?
At least
withdrawal?
Figure 9–3. (A-D) The best 1-year outcome for 500 conventionally treated patients in coma from nontraumatic causes. For each
time period following onset, the diagram correlates the degree of recovery with clinical signs. The numbers are, in most instances,
sufficiently large to provide a basis for estimating prognosis among similarly affected patients in the future. (From Levy et al.,
4
with
permission.)
Consciousness, Mechanisms Underlying Outcomes, and Ethical Considerations
351
CARDIOPULMONARY ARREST/
HYPOXIC-ISCHEMIC
ENCEPHALOPATHY
Several large studies have examined outcome
in coma specifically following cardiac arrest.
Data from 942 patients prospectively enrolled
in the Brain Resuscitation Clinical Trials
35
(circa 1979 to 1994) demonstrated that loss of
any of the cranial nerve reflexes following car-
diac arrest significantly predicted poor out-
come. Booth and associates
2
reviewed all avail-
able large studies of coma following cardiac
arrest from 1966 to 2003 to assess the precision
and accuracy of the physical examination in
prognosis. They found that five clinical signs
were strongly predictive of death, VS, or severe
disability (GOS 1, 2, or 3): absent corneal re-
flexes, absent pupillary reflexes, absent with-
drawal to painful stimuli, absent motor re-
sponse at 24 hours, and absent motor response
at 72 hours. Notably, no clinical examination
finding strongly predicted a GOS of 4 or 5. In
the aggregate, the data shown in Table 9–8
support the algorithms shown in Figure 9–3
and add further details as well as time points. It
should be recognized that the Booth et al. pre-
dictors aggregate severely disabled outcomes
(GOS 3) with outcomes of death or permanent
VS (GOS 1 and 2). Thus, careful explanation
of the predicted outcomes is required if the
physician uses these data to counsel families, as
choices concerning severe disability may differ
widely (see family dynamics and philosophic
considerations, page 379).
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC TESTING
IN HYPOXIC-ISCHEMIC
ENCEPHALOPATHY
Although the physical examination gives a
strong prediction of poor outcome, it does not
accurately assess the extent of cortical injury.
Electrophysiologic testing adds valuable data.
SSEPs provide the best predictors of poor
Table 9–7 Two-Week Outcome of Nontraumatic Coma and
Coma Etiology
Two-Week Outcome
Coma Etiology
No. (%)
% Awake
% Dead
% Coma
Hypoxic/ischemic
61 (36.1)
21.3
54.1
24.6
Metabolic or septic
37 (21.8)
32.4
48.7
18.9
Focal cerebral injury
38 (22.5)
34.2
47.4
18.4
Generalized cerebral injury
22 (13.0)
45.4
36.4
18.2
Drug induced
11 (6.5)
72.7
0
27.3
All
169 (100)
33.1
44.4
21.5
Modified from Sacco et al.,
34
with permission.
Table 9–6 Variables Correlated With Two-Month Mortality
Two-Month Mortality, Number (%)
Risk Factor Present
on Day Three
If Factor Present
If Factor
Not Present
Abnormal brainstem function
88/99 (89)
83/136 (61)
Absent verbal response
151/175 (86)
23/57 (40)
Absent withdrawal to pain
122/136 (90)
52/96 (54)
Creatinine !132.6 mmol/L
(1.5 mg/dL)
82/94 (87)
99/153 (65)
Age !70
93/111 (84)
88/136 (65)
From Hamel et al.,
33
with permission.
352
Plum and Posner’s Diagnosis of Stupor and Coma
Table 9–8 Useful Clinical Findings in the Prognosis of
Postcardiac Arrest Coma Organized by Time After Onset
of Coma
LR* of Poor Neurologic Outcome
(95% Confidence Interval)
Clinical Finding
Positive
Negative
Absent pupillary reflex
7.2 (1.9–28.0)
0.5 (0.4–0.6)
Absent motor response
3.5 (1.4–8.6)
0.6 (0.4–0.7)
Absent corneal reflex
3.2 (1.1–9.5)
0.7 (0.6–0.8)
Absent oculocephalic reflex
2.5 (1.3–4.8)
0.4 (0.3–0.6)
Absent spontaneous eye movement
2.2 (1.3–4.0)
0.4 (0.3–0.6)
ICS <4
2.2 (1.1–4.5)
0.2 (0.1–0.6)
GCS <5
1.4 (1.1–1.6)
0.3 (0.2–0.5)
Absent verbal effort
1.2 (0.9–1.6)
0.1 (0.0–0.7)
At 12 Hours
Absent cough reflex
13.4 (4.4–40.3)
0.3 (0.2.-0.4)
Absent corneal reflex
9.1 (3.9–21.1)
0.3 (0.2–0.4)
Absent gag reflex
8.7 (4.0–18.9)
0.4 (0.4–0.5)
Absent pupillary reflex
4.0 (2.5–6.6)
0.5 (0.5–0.6)
GCS <5
3.5 (2.4–5.2)
0.4 (0.3–0.4)
Absent motor response
3.2 (2.2–4.6)
0.4 (0.3–0.5)
Absent withdrawal to pain
2.3 (1.9–3.1)
0.2 (0.1–0.2)
Absent verbal effort
1.6 (1.4–1.9)
0.1 (0.0–0.1)
At 24 Hours
Absent cough reflex
84.6 (5.3–1342.0)
0.4 (0.3–0.5)
Absent gag reflex
24.9 (6.3–98.3)
0.5 (0.4–0.5)
GCS <5
8.8 (5.1–15.1)
0.4 (0.3–0.4)
Absent eye opening to pain
5.9 (3.9–9.0)
0.3 (0.3–0.4)
Absent spontaneous eye movement
3.5 (1.4–8.8)
0.5 (0.4–0.7)
Absent eye opening to pain
3.0 (1.5–6.2)
0.4 (0.3–0.5)
Absent oculocephalic reflex
2.9 (1.8–4.6)
0.5 (0.5–0.6)
Absent spontaneous eye movement
2.7 (2.1–3.4)
0.3 (0.2–0.3)
Absent verbal effort
2.4 (2.0–2.9)
0.1 (0.0–0.1)
At 48 Hours
GCS <6
2.8 (1.3–5.9)
0.3 (0.1–0.5)
GCS <10
1.3 (1.0–1.7)
0.0 (0.0–0.7)
At 72 Hours
Absent withdrawal to pain
36.5 (2.3–569.9)
0.3 (0.2–0.4)
Absent spontaneous eye movement
11.5 (1.7–79.0)
0.6 (0.5–0.7)
Absent verbal effort
7.4 (2.0–28.0)
0.3 (0.2–0.5)
Absent eye opening to pain
6.9 (1.8–27.0)
0.5 (0.4–0.6)
At 7 Days
Absent withdrawal to pain
29.7 (1.9–466.0)
0.4 (0.3–0.6)
Absent verbal effort
14.1 (2.0–97.7)
0.4 (0.2–0.6)
GCS, Glasgow Coma Scale; ICS, Innsbruck Coma Scale; LR, likelihood ratio.
*Clinical findings that have a positive LR >2 and a lower confidence interval boundary >1 are
presented with the corresponding negative LR.
Modified from Booth et al.,
2
with permission.
353
outcomes and are relatively insensitive to
metabolic derangements and drug effects.
36
Bilateral loss of primary cortical somatosensory
responses has been repeatedly confirmed to
have a 100% specificity for outcomes no better
than a permanent VS following anoxic in-
juries.
37,38
A recent review
23
found that of 176
patients with absent bilateral primary somato-
sensory responses (N20), none recovered past
a permanent VS (Table 9–9). The robust cor-
relation of bilateral loss of SSEPs and poor
outcome reflects a close connection with the
underlying degree of anoxic injury as indicated
by autopsy studies.
39
Of 10 patients examined
at autopsy who had SSEP measurements ob-
tained within 48 hours of cardiac arrest, all
seven with bilateral absence of the SSEPs had
extensive anoxic-ischemic destruction of the
cerebral cortex (with acute ischemic changes in
patients with short survival, and frank necrosis
of the pseudolaminar type in those patients
with longer survival times). Two additional
patients (one with delayed SSEPs and one with
normal-latency SSEPs) showed patchy neuro-
nal loss in the cerebral cortex. Importantly,
although an index of better outcomes, preser-
vation of normal-latency SSEPs following car-
diac arrest is not a definite predictor of positive
outcomes. Death or vegetative outcomes may
occur in as many as 40% of cases where a
normal N20 response is measured.
38
Other electrophysiologic techniques, includ-
ing EEG, brainstem auditory-evoked responses
(BAERs), and transcranial motor-evoked re-
sponses, also have predictive value (see
23
for
detailed review). EEG patterns are often sup-
pressed early following anoxic injuries and a
variety of signal abnormalities
22
correlate with
poor outcomes; these include burst suppres-
sion, alpha-theta patterns, and generalized sup-
pression or periodic patterns. The BAER test
can identify severe brainstem injury, but does
not address the outcome of cerebral cortical
injury. Preservation of longer latency auditory-
evoked responses that involve contributions
from larger cerebral cortical networks may pre-
dict recovery of cerebral function with greater
specificity. Both a late auditory response (N100)
and the mismatch negativity (MMN) response
have value in predicting outcome from coma
following anoxic injury.
40
Other longer latency
evoked responses such as the P300 and N400
have also been studied (see
22
for review).
PITFALLS IN THE EVALUATION
OF COMA FOLLOWING
CARDIOPULMONARY ARREST
Although prognosis in coma following cardio-
pulmonary arrest is generally accurate, pitfalls
do exist. The following case illustrates an ex-
treme, although not isolated, example from the
literature.
41
Patient 9–1
A 25-year-old asthmatic man collapsed at home
and stopped breathing. The patient received car-
diopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from a family
member for 6 minutes until emergency medical
personnel arrived to find the patient without re-
spiratory effort or palpable pulse. Electrocardio-
gram (ECG) showed a rate of 24 bpm; CPR and
tracheal intubation were performed. Three min-
utes later the pulse was 107 bpm and spontaneous
respirations were noted. Initial GCS was 3. In the
Table 9–9 Somatosensory-Evoked Potentials in Anoxic-
Ischemic Encephalopathy: Absent N20 Response
Series
Day
Proportion
With Sign
Proportion
Recovering
Brunko and Zegers
De Byl, 1987
<
8 hours
30/50
0/30
Rothstein, 2000
<
2 hours
19/40
0/19
Madl et al., 2000
<
2 hours
22/66
0/22
Chen et al., 2000
1–3
12/34
0/12
Total
<
3
83/190
0/83
From Young et al.,
23
with permission.
354
Plum and Posner’s Diagnosis of Stupor and Coma
emergency room the patient was unresponsive
with dilated pupils that were responsive to light;
spontaneous decorticate posturing was noted. The
patient was sedated with propofol, given atracur-
ium, and transferred to the intensive care unit
(ICU). In the ICU the patient required mild pressor
support and was noted to exhibit frequent myo-
clonic jerks of the head and all four limbs. EEG
recordings revealed generalized status epilepticus.
Theophylline levels were within the normal ther-
apeutic range. Seizures were uncontrolled with
phenytoin, midazolam, clonazepam, valproate,
and MgSO
4
, so that thiopental infusion producing
burst suppression was required. After cessation of
the thiopental drip, generalized alpha frequency
activity was noted. On the sixth day the patient
was extubated, given a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)
status, and transferred to the general neurology
floor still with a GCS of 3. He subsequently grad-
ually improved and had a GCS of 10 by day 16
with the recovery of head nodding and verbali-
zation. His GCS reached 15 by the 19th week
following the respiratory arrest. While EEG exam-
inations showed progressive improvements, the
patient continued to exhibit frequent myoclonic
jerks and epileptiform activity despite multiple an-
tiepileptic medication trials. Ultimately, this pa-
tient regained independent function.
This patient’s case highlights the potential
complexity of prognosis in coma even in circum-
stances that appear to predict poor outcome
following cardiac arrest and severe hypoxic in-
jury. A retrospective review of the history sug-
gests several points for consideration. While
the patient’s young age, initial presence of pu-
pillary light responses, and early return of spon-
taneous respiration were positive predictors,
the presence of myoclonus and seizures with
no history of epilepsy suggested severe hypoxic
injury. As reviewed above, postanoxic myoclo-
nus usually predicts a dismal prognosis,
42
but
this is not invariably the case.
43
The early se-
dation and paralysis of the patient due to the
seizure activity may have masked improve-
ment in level of consciousness within the first
6 hours, and the extensive use of different an-
tiepileptic medications may have mimicked the
pattern of alpha coma, a finding that otherwise
carries a greater than 90% mortality in the
setting of anoxic injury.
44
This patient demonstrates the limitations of
obtaining complete information from events
in the field and unequivocal separation of the
effects of primary injury versus potential con-
founds introduced by methods of treatment.
A pulseless patient may still have some unde-
tected circulatory activity, or have lost perfu-
sion just prior to evaluation, making accurate
estimate of duration of hypoxia problematic. A
similar case involving seizures and myoclonus
following a cardiac arrest has been reported,
with lateimprovement onday16 after remaining
at a GCS of 5 until that point.
45
Finally, a postictal state can severely depress
brainstem function, and tonic seizures can sim-
ulate flexion or extension posturing, whereas
single epileptic jerks can be difficult to distin-
guish from myoclonus. Cardiac arrest from a
seizure-induced cardiac arrhythmia
46
can fur-
ther complicate the picture.
Vascular Disease
STROKE
Prognosis in coma following stroke depends on
the arterial territory affected by the stroke that
produces bilateral hemispheric dysfunction as
detailed in Chapter 4. Wijdicks and Rabin-
stein
47
surveyed the literature of prognostic
factors for severe stroke from 1966 to 2003.
They found no evidence-based studies better
than class III to indicate prognosis, although
several suggestive clinical and radiologic fea-
tures were identified. Large proximal vessel
occlusions causing diffuse hemispheric edema
and midline shift carry a grave prognosis with a
nearly 90% mortality when the shift of the
septum pellucidum was greater than 12 mm.
48
Patients with coma caused by acute basilar oc-
clusions may recover
49
(see Chapter 2), whereas
those with coma due to hypertensive pontine
hemorrhages usually do not.
50
SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE
Coma resulting from spontaneous subarach-
noid hemorrhage (SAH) has a grave prognosis.
The World Federation of Neurological Sur-
geons (WFNS) grades SAH using the GCS
51
(see also
52
) (Table 9–10). Although brief loss
of consciousness is common, coma is a rela-
tively uncommon sign in patients who reach
the hospital with SAH; two-thirds present
with WFNS grade III examinations or better.
Consciousness, Mechanisms Underlying Outcomes, and Ethical Considerations
355
However, as many as one-half of the patients
presenting with grades I or II deteriorate
from vasospasm, rebleeding, hydrocephalus,
or brain edema. About 10% (range 3% to 17%)
of patients die before reaching medical atten-
tion and another 10% prior to hospital evalu-
ation. The overall mortality is 40% to 50%.
53
GCS is a good predictor of outcome from
SAH if the patient’s age, the amount of blood on
CT scan, the location of the aneurysm (worse
for posterior circulation sites compared with
anterior circulation),
53
and secondary compli-
cations following the initial rupture are also fac-
tored in. A high percentage of patients with
grades IV and V die from secondary complica-
tions if they remain in coma for 2 weeks or more.
Rebleeding of an aneurysm causing coma
and depression or loss of brainstem reflexes
carries a mortality rate of 50%. In one study,
bilateral loss of pupillary responses carried a
95% mortality rate. Electrophysiologic mea-
surements have also shown some utility in the
prognosis of SAH; loss of BAERs and SSEPs
correlate with poor grades on examination.
54,55
Central Nervous System Infection
Coma was present on admission in 14% of 696
patients with bacterial meningitis
56
(see also
page 262). Obtundation on admission was a
significant risk factor for death or a GOS less
than 4, as were age older than 60 years, hy-
potension, seizures within 24 hours (often as-
sociated with a low serum sodium), and cere-
brospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities including
decreased glucose concentration or elevation
of the CSF protein (greater than or equal to
250 mg/dL). In most cases, death was a result
of herniation, occasionally following an ill-
advised lumbar puncture. Some investigators
have suggested that the presence of coma is
the best predictor of morbidity from acute
meningitis.
57
Coma is often the result of in-
creased ICP resulting from alteration of the
blood-barrier by toxins (vasogenic edema), im-
paired resorption of CSF (interstitial edema),
or venous or arterial occlusions (infarction
with cytotoxic edema).
58
A brain abscess caus-
ing coma also has a poor prognosis (GOS less
than 4)
59
; herniation is the principal cause of
coma with a 60% mortality rate.
60
Acute Disseminated
Encephalomyelitis
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
(see also page 366) is a monophasic autoimmune
demyelinating disease most commonly affect-
ing children and young adults that follows viral
or bacterial illnesses or may arise postvacci-
nation.
61
Although prognosis for ADEM has
historically been considered poor, current ex-
perience reflects that most patients (range 55%
to 90% across studies) will recover fully or with
minor neurologic disabilities. The improved
prognosis may reflect either the increased fre-
quency of diagnosis of relatively mild cases,
which often can be demonstrated on magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), or perhaps the ten-
dency to treat patients with corticosteroids. Most
patients with ADEM improve within 6 months,
although many documented cases showed lon-
ger recovery times.
Hepatic Coma
Hepatic coma develops either as an inexor-
able stage in progressive hepatic failure or as a
more reversible process in patients with portal
systemic shunts when increased loads of ni-
trogenous substances are suddenly presented
into the circulation (see Chapter 5). Prognosis
in hepatic coma depends on the cause, the
acuteness and severity of the liver failure, and
the presence or absence of dysfunction of other
organs. The prognosis is far worse in fulminant
Table 9–10 Grading System for
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Grade
GCS Score
Presence of any
Motor Deficit
I
15
None
II
14–15
None
III
14–13
Present
IV
12–7
Present or absent
V
6–3
Present or absent
World Federation of Neurological Surgeons score is in-
dexed by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and evidence of
identifiable motor deficits.
From the World Federation of Neurological Surgeons,
51
with permission
356
Plum and Posner’s Diagnosis of Stupor and Coma
hepatic failure than in coma associated with
chronic cirrhosis or portacaval shunting. Among
patients with nontraumatic coma, those with
hepatic encephalopathy demonstrated the best
chance for recovery (33%).
4
Survival also correlates with age in patients
with infectious and serum hepatitis. Patients
with chronic hepatocellular disease often drift
in and out of encephalopathy, a situation that
can be managed by correction of intercurrent
processes such as infection or reduction of cir-
culating nitrogenous load. If no exogenous fac-
tor can be identified, the presence of enceph-
alopathy is far more ominous and correlates
with high mortality; approximately 50% of pa-
tients with cirrhosis die within 1 year of dem-
onstrating encephalopathy.
62
Depressant Drug Poisoning
Most fatal intentional depressant drug poi-
sonings occur outside the hospital. Once such 10>6>5>5>5>4> Dostları ilə paylaş: |