Consequences of traumatic brain injury: basic measures of injury severity and outcome
GCS and GOS from Jennett and Teasdale6; PTA categories unvalidated, adapted from Jennett and Teasdale6 and other sources, | |
Glasgow coma scale (GCS) | Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) |
<5 mins: minimal | |
Eye opening (E) | 5–60 mins: mild |
4 spontaneous | 1–24 hours: moderate |
3 to speech | 1–7 days: severe |
2 to pain | 1–4 weeks: very severe |
1 nil | 4–12 weeks: extremely severe |
12–24 weeks: exceptionally severe | |
Motor response (M) | >24 weeks: devastating |
6 obeys | |
5 localises | 1 Dead |
4 withdraws | 2 Vegetative |
3 abnormal flexion | 3 Severely disabled (requires assistance or supervision for some activities during every 24 hours) |
2 extends | 4 Moderately disabled (independent indoors and outdoors but disabled) |
1 nil | 5 Good recovery (resumes normal life; may have minor impairments) |
Verbal response (V) | |
5 orientated | |
4 confused conversation | |
3 inappropriate words | |
2 incomprehensible sounds | |
1 nil | |
Score (E+M+V) = 3–15 |