Table 2

Behavioral signs of consciousness found in patients misdiagnosed with VS and MCS or with uncertain clinical consensus diagnosis.

Behavior

VS

MCS

Unsure of diagnosis

1 – response to verbal order

4

*

4

2 – purposeful eye movements

8

*

6

3 – automatic motor response

1

*

1

4 – pain localization

1

*

1

5 – several criteria for MCS

4

*

4

6 – communication

*

1

*

7 – functional object use

*

1

*

8 – several criteria for EMCS

*

2

*

Total

18

4

16

Notice: EMCS = emergence from MCS; * Non-appropriate; several criteria for MCS = presence of several criteria such as response to verbal order, purposeful eye movements, automatic motor response and/or pain localization; several criteria for EMCS = presence of communication and functional object use.

Schnakers et al. BMC Neurology 2009 9:35   doi:10.1186/1471-2377-9-35