Functioning and disability in the vegetative state: results from a pilot study in Italy.
OBJECTIVE
To describe functioning and disability of patients in vegetative state (VS) according to the biopsychosocial model of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).


METHODS
Patients in VS admitted to long-stay hospitals were consecutively enrolled, and the ICF checklist was completed by trained professionals. ICF categories utilisation is described.


RESULTS
Twenty-one patients (15 males) were enrolled, mean age was 51.9 and mean duration of VS was 22 months. The majority of body functions and structures categories are reported as problems in less than 20% of patients. In the activity and participation domain, majority of ICF categories were not applicable and, among opened categories, performance was usually better than capacity. Among environmental factors, categories are mostly described as facilitators.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first pilot study in which the applicability of the ICF checklist to patients in VS was tested, showing the applicability of ICF categories within A&P domain, and the presence of few but very strong facilitating environmental factors. This study also sets the premises for a study on people in VS and in minimal conscious state both at a national and international level.
Leonardi
Matilde
M
Neurological Institute C. Besta IRCCS Foundation, Neurology, Public Health and Disability Unit, Scientific Directorate, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy. leonardi@istituto-besto.it
Sattin
Davide
D
Raggi
Alberto
A
Frosi
Giacomo
G
Pisoni
Camilla
C
Pistarini
Caterina
C
Compostini
Anna
A
Manera
Marina
M
Croci
Massimo
M
Guizzetti
Giovanni Battista
GB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D057189:Checklist; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D018875:Vocabulary, Controlled; D055815:Young Adult