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Table 2 Categories of the Glasgow Outcome Scale

From: Neuroprotective effect of therapeutic hypothermia versus standard care alone after convulsive status epilepticus: protocol of the multicentre randomised controlled trial HYBERNATUS

Category

Classification

Description

1

Death

Patient is certified dead

2

Vegetative state

Patient is unable to interact with the environment

Patients who show no evidence of meaningful responsiveness. This non-sentient state must be distinguished from other conditions of wakeful, reduced responsiveness–such as the locked-in syndrome, akinetic mutism, and total global aphasia. Vegetative patients breathe spontaneously, have periods of spontaneous eye-opening, may follow moving objects with their eyes, show reflex responses in their limbs (to postural or painful stimuli), and they may swallow food placed in their mouths

3

Severe disability

Patient is unable to live independently but can follow commands

This indicates that a patient is conscious but needs the assistance of another person for some activities of daily living every day. This may range from continuous total dependency to the need for assistance with only one activity

4

Moderate disability

Patient is capable of living independently but unable to return to work or school

Such a patient is able to look after himself at home, to get out, and about to the shops and to travel by public transport. However, some previous activities, either at work or in social life, are now no longer possible by reason of either physical or mental deficit

5

Mild or no disability

Patient is able to return to work or school

This indicates the capacity to resume normal occupational and social activities, although there may be minor physical or mental deficits. However, for various reasons, the patient may not have resumed all his previous activities and in particular may not be working