title: [Altered state of consciousness as a factor affecting the course and consequences of acute viral encephalitis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute viral encephalitis is an infectious disease, which is characterized by sudden onset, serious clinical picture and with an uncertain outcome. Disturbances of consciousness are common in the course of acute viral encephalitis. Consciousness is the heighest form of psychic life and consciousness disturbances may include quantitative (somnolentia, sopor, coma) and qualitative symptoms (convulsions, twilight state).
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 63 patients with acute viral encephalitis. The youngest patient was 15, and the oldest one 69 years of age. We examined the state of consciousness in all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all examined patients, 54 (85.72%) patients had disturbances of consciousness, 9 (14.25%) patients had no conciousness disturbances, 11 (17.46%) patients had sopor and 24 (38.09%) patients were in coma. The highest percentage of lethal outcomes was recorded in coma patients (12.5%). The longer the duration of consciousness disturbances, the higher the mortality among these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjective and objective factors cause different grades and duration of consciousness disturbances. The highest percentage of patients who recovered without consequences was established in the group of patients (81.82%) with somnolence. The highest percentage of patients who recovered with consequences (20.8%) and patients (12.5%) with lethal outcome was recorded in the group of patients in coma. These findings are in correlation with literature data.
authors.affiliation: Klinicki centar Kragujevac, Kragujevac.
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nesić
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Todorović
authors.forename: Olgica
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gajović
authors.forename: Predrag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Canović
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003244:Consciousness Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis