Consciousness recovery after various periods in vegetative state

Background: Recent studies suggest that late recovery from vegetative state (VS) is more prevalent today than previously thought. This study examined the decline in the rate of recovery from VS with time after admission to rehabilitation, and established a new time frame, in which the odds of recovery from VS remain substantial. Methods: Data of 206 patients with VS after traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries (TBI and NTBI), who were treated at the Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital (LRH), in Raanana, Israel, between 2003 and 2015, and described in a previous publication, were further analysed. Rate of recovery from VS was monitored at several time points after admission to intensive care and consciousness rehabilitation (ICCR). Results: The odds of consciousness recovery were at least 54% at admission to ICCR, and 48%, 33%, 19%, and 7% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after admission, respectively. Conclusions: The rate of recovery from VS decreases significantly with time, but contrary to previous consensus, 6–12 months after admission to ICCR, the odds of recovery from VS after TBI and NTBI remain substantial.