Predictive value of the Disorders of Consciousness Scale (DOCS).

Objective: To examine the predictive validity of measures of neurobehavioral change derived from the Disorders of Consciousness Scale (DOCS) for predicting return to consciousness 4, 8, and 12 months after severe brain injury (BI).

Design: Prospective observational predictive validity study

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and postrehabilitation residence

Participants: A total of 113 persons with a mean age of 38 +/- 17.8 years who were unconscious for >28 days consecutively after severe BI; 73% (83/113) with traumatic BI and 27% (30/113) with other BI.