The prevalence of patients in a vegetative state and minimally conscious state in nursing homes in Austria

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To explore the epidemiology of patients in a Vegetative State (VS) and Minimally Conscious State (MCS) that are cared for in long-term care facilities in Austria. The study was inspired by increasing evidence that the cognitive abilities of minimal behavioural patients with disorders of consciousness may be under-rated. RESEARCH DESIGN: Since an unequivocal diagnostic code with which to follow-up these long-term patients after the acute event does not exist, a telephone survey was conducted. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A three-step telephone- and questionnaire-based inquiry was conducted between 2007 and 2009. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen out of 889 long-term care facilities and nursing homes cared for 269 patients in a VS and 120 patients in a MCS, indicating a prevalence of 3.36 patients per 100 000 for VS and 1.5 per 100 000 for MCS in long-term care facilities. CONCLUSIONS: The results are discussed in the light of differences in prevalence in other Western countries. Future studies should concentrate on these long-term patients since the results have implications regarding how to organize appropriate neurorehabilitative care that meets the needs of such patients.