The autonomic response following taVNS predicts changes in level of consciousness in DoC patients.

Advancements in emergency medicine and critical care have significantly improved survival rates for patients with severe acquired brain injuries(sABI), subsequently increasing the prevalence of disorders of consciousness (DoC) such as Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome (UWS) and Minimally Conscious State (MCS). However, the assessment of conscious states relies on the observation of behavioral responses, the interpretation of which may vary from evaluator to evaluator, as well as the high rate of misdiagnosis, which together pose significant challenges for clinical diagnosis. The study investigates the utility of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in modulating autonomic responses, as evidenced through heart rate variability (HRV), for distinguishing between healthy individuals and DoC patients and for prognosticating patient outcomes.

Study protocol: Developing telephone follow-up scale for patients with disorders of consciousness.

Background: The significant lack of rehabilitation prognostic data is the main reason that affects the treatment decision-making and ethical issues of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). Currently, the clinic's consciousness assessment tools cannot satisfy DoC patients' follow-up needs.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to construct a sensitive, professional, and simple telephone follow-up scale for DoC patients to follow up on the prognosis, especially the recovery of consciousness, of prolonged DoC patients transferred to community hospitals or at home.