Search for clinical and neurophysiological prognostic patterns of brain coma outcomes in children

Objective. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possible predictive values of clinical examinations combined with the recordings of electroencephalography and brainstem auditory-evoked potentials in traumatic coma of pediatric patients.
Material and methods. A total of 43 children in coma with severe acute head trauma were included in the study. They were investigated and treated in pediatric intensive care unit using standard evaluation and treatment protocol. Evaluation of coma was performed using Glasgow Coma Scale. Electroencephalography for 35 patients and brainstem auditory-evoked potentials for 24 patients were recorded.
Results. Glasgow coma scale statistic pool median was equal to 4 points as measured in presence of brain edema, meanwhile it was 6 as measured in absence of edema. In case of supratentorial damage, median duration of consciousness recovery was 10 days. In absence of above-mentioned supratentorial damage, recovery of the consciousness was earlier – median was 5 days. Determined duration of artificial lung ventilation was statistically significantly shorter for those who had edema (P=0.048). In 20 patients (57% of all cases), constant or alternating slow wave activity was observed during the first electroencephalographic recording. In other cases, “alpha coma” or low amplitude of arrhythmic activity and local slowing activity corresponding to brain damage seen on computerized tomography were recorded. For 24 patients, brainstem auditory-evoked potentials were recorded. In 9 cases, they were abnormal; in these cases, the consciousness of the patients recovered after 44 days or did not recover.
Conclusions. Glasgow coma scale results alone may have limited prognostic value in absence of other objective neurophysiologic investigation data concerning the coma outcome in children. Prognosis may be worse if pathological brainstem auditory-evoked potentials correlate with pathological dynamic changes in electroencephalography and brain lesions, diagnosed during computerized tomography scan.