The Morfeo Study: A 1-year follow-up of complications of vegetative state in a dedicated facility.
OBJECTIVE
Vegetative State (VS) implies significant issues. The aim of the MORFEO study is to identify the most relevant complications in VS patients and to supply clinicians and policy-makers with data derived from the analysis of a cohort of patients treated in a dedicated long-term facility setting.


METHODS
A cohort of 22 VS patients treated between 2003 and 2007 were enrolled and followed up for 1 year. The information recorded were: Disability Rating Scale (DRS), Levels of Cognitive Functioning (LCF), pressure sores, nutritional status, neurological complications, articular complications (passive range of motion-ROM), deep-vein thrombosis and infections. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to verify the normal distribution of the variables. The indicators of complications were analysed with the Friedman test (continuous variables) and with the Cochran Q test (dichotomous variables).


RESULTS
DRS and LCF values showed no significant variation. The number of pressure sores decreased. The nutritional status remained satisfying. The ROM worsened in lower limb joints; a trend (p = ns) towards an improved range was observed in shoulders and elbows. Fifteen infections were recorded.


CONCLUSIONS
The data that proved significant suggest a minimum set of quality-of-care indicators in VS patients: pressure sores follow-up, nutritional status, ROM and incidence of infections.
University of Bologna, Italy. giuliana.fabbri@unibo.it
G
G
Fabbri
M P
MP
Fantini
F
F
Buggi
E
E
Carretta
L
L
Lorenzini
R
R
Piperno
N
N
Matera
M R
MR
Leo
D L
DL
Coulter
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric