Prognosis

Non-traumatic

Most patients die. Few make a good recovery. ^c  

Patients are more likely to die or remain in a persistent vegetative state if any of the following are present ^b  

• GCS motor score = 1 at day 3 
• absent pupillary response at day 3 
• burst activity or flat EEG after one week 
• no cerebral response to somatosensory evoked potentials after one week   

Traumatic

A quarter of patients with severe head injury are dead within a year. ^a  

Patients are at increased risk of dying if they have ^a  

• a haematoma on CT 
• neither pupil reacting 
• old age 
• a low Glasgow Coma Scale 
• a high Injury Severity Score