%0 Journal Article
%T Factors influencing recovery in a pediatric sample with disorders of consciousness: insights from an observational study.
%A González MC
%A Leguizamón F
%A Dei Vecchi L
%A Andreu M
%A Ferrea M
%J Brain Inj
%V 0
%N 0
%D 2024 Jul 5
%M 38967329
%F 2.167
%R 10.1080/02699052.2024.2372451
%X <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>To estimate rates and time to reach emergence of consciousness from vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS), and explore factors associated with improved recovery in children and adolescents with disorders of consciousness (DoC) following severe traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Analytical, retrospective, cohort study. Clinical records of consecutively referred patients admitted in VS/UWS to a neurological rehabilitation institute in Argentina, between 2005 and 2021 were reviewed. Seventy children and adolescents were included in the analysis. A specialized 12-week rehabilitation program was administered, and emergence was defined by scores ≥44 points on the Western Neuro Sensory Stimulation Profile (WNSSP), sustained for at least 3 weeks on consecutive weekly evaluations.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Emergence from VS/UWS to consciousness occurred within 5.4 (SD 2.6) weeks in almost one-third of patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed emergence was significantly lower in patients with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy compared to patients with other non-traumatic etiologies [HRadj 0.23 (95% CI 0.06-0.89); p = 0.03)].<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Our findings reinforce growing evidence on the impact of etiology on DoC recovery in pediatric populations, ultimately influencing treatment and family-related decisions in child neurorehabilitation.