View source for COMA-UNRESPONSIVE WAKEFULNESS SYNDROME (UWS)

===== [[Summary Article|'''SUMMARY''']] =====
1. Unresponsive wakefulness syndrome/vegetative state results from severe bilateral cerebral dysfunction, often following a period of coma.
<br/>
<br/>2. May be caused by anoxic brain damage (e.g., after Ml), terminal phase of degenerative processes such as Alzheimer &amp; CJD or trauma.
<br/>
<br/>3. These patients typically have <i>normal sleep-wake cycles</i> but <i>no discernible cognitive function (awake but not aware). </i>
<br/>
<br/>4. Respiration can quicken in response to stimulation, and there may be automatisms such as swallowing, bruxism, grimacing, grunting, and moaning. There is loss of sphincter control. 
<br/>
<br/>5. EEG abnormalities include low-amplitude delta-frequency background activity, burst suppression, widespread alpha and theta activity, an alpha coma pattern, and sleep spindles. Stimulating the patient causes minimal if any change in background EEG activity.
<br/>
<br/>6. Vegetative state that persists more than 3 months is called persistent vegetative state. Patients who do not recover after 3 months are unlikely to recover (in cases of anoxic brain damage).


==Reference(s)==
Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [https://amzn.to/3YHrI6K Get it on Amazon.]
<br/>Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. [https://amzn.to/3k7WSW0 Get it on Amazon.]
<br/>Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
<br/>Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].

[[Category:Coma]]
[[Category:Neurology]]
[[Category:Medicine]]