ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the commonly used consciousness scales according to longitudinal study on small-sample patients with minimally conscious state. Method Eleven patients with minimally consciousness, who were scanned using fMRI, were selected and scored by the commonly used consciousness scales in Wujing Hangzbeu Hospital. The 11 patients were classified into 2 groups according to the scores of CRS-R scale couple with the results of the fMRI study. The One-Way ANOVA method was used to analyze the inter-group difference of the commonly used consciousness scales and their subscales. Results Despite the communicative subscale of the CRS-R scales, other iterms lack of statistic significance in classification of the conscious state. Among the commonly used consciousness scales, the Wessex Head Injury Matrix (WHIM) scale presented the highest diagnostic value in consciousness state, whereas the Chinese Vegetative State Scale (CVSS) presented the lowest diagnostic value. Conclusions It indicated that the total scores of the consciousness scales and the scores of subscales of them presented poor diagnostic value in general, and big discrepancy of diagnostic value existed between the iterms of the scales by using objective tools.