Nociception coma scale-revised (NCS-R) with personalized painful stimulation versus standard stimulus in non-communicative patients with disorders of consciousness

Abstract

Covert cognition may be present in around 15% of patients with Disorder of Consciousness (DoC). The lack of overt behavioural responsiveness may be due to many confounding factors, including diffuse pain. Aim of the present study was to compare, in non-communicative DoC patients, NCS-R scores obtained with the pressure on fingernail bed (standard stimulus, SS) versus other personalized painful stimuli (PS), shared with the rehabilitation staff and to verify possible correlations between NCS-R and Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R).