What is the role of post acute EEG in prediction of late neurological outcome in severe disorders of consciousness?

Causes of development of severe disorders of consciousness

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, traumatic brain injury, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage and brain infarction are common causes of mortality and morbidity [1–8]. Many patients affected by these acquired brain injuries (ABIs) die in the acute stages during their stay in the intensive care unit; others, after a coma phase, usually develop a severe disorder of consciousness (DoC), characterized by an unresponsive wakefulness syndrome or a minimally conscious state (MCS). In some cases, consciousness level improves, transitioning to an emergence from MCS (E-MCS); however, patients with E-MCS often show a severe neurological disability [9]. In recent years, improvements both in intensive care technology and in neurosurgical procedures have reduced the mortality rate; however, as a result, many patients discharged from the acute setting exhibit severe DoCs.