title: An Italian population study on 600 persons in vegetative state and minimally conscious state.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describes socio-demographic and clinical features of adults and children in vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic, aetiological and clinical data were collected, together with patients' management procedures. Mann-Whitney U-test was used for continuous variables and chi-squared test for categorical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred patients (69.7% in VS; 6% children) were enrolled. No difference regarding age at enrolment, age at acute event and disease duration was observed between VS and MCS. Disease duration was superior to 10 years for 3.3% of the whole sample and 64.3-77% of cases had a non-traumatic aetiology. Mean number of drugs per adult patient was four and decreased consistently with increased disease duration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with VS and MCS were similar for age at acute event and at enrolment, both over 50 years, as well as for the frequency of non-traumatic aetiology. Disease duration was similar for both conditions and 2.6% of VS and 4.8% of MCS patients survived for more than 10 years. Finally care and treatment needs are similar and not related to diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Institute C. Besta IRCCS Foundation, Neurology, Public Health and Disability Unit, Milan, Italy. leonardi@istituto-besta.it
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sattin
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raggi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003128:Coma; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020127:Recovery of Function