Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) - Total Score. The GCS is a standardized instrument for assessing the level of consciousness. It evaluates three aspects of responsiveness: eye opening, motor response, verbal response. The total score is the sum of the scores for the three response types. (3-15)

2018-07-10

GCS Total score

Teasdale G, Jennett B. Assessment of coma and impaired consciousness. A practical scale. Lancet. Jul 1974;2(7872): 81-4. Marmarou A, Lu J, Butcher I, et al. Prognostic value of the Glasgow Coma Scale and pupil reactivity in traumatic brain injury assessed pre-hospital and on enrolment: an IMPACT analysis. J Neurotrauma. Feb 2007;24(2): 270-80. Stocchetti N, Pagan F, Calappi E, et al. Inaccurate early assessment of neurological severity in head injury. J Neurotrauma. Sep 2004: 21(9): 1131-40. Balestreri M, Czosnyka M, Chatfield DA, et al. Predictive value of Glasgow Coma Scale after brain trauma: change in trend over the past ten years. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. Jan 2004;75(1): 161-2.

GENERAL/TBI: This element should be collected along with the other elements from the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). The minimum possible score on the GCS is 3 and the maximum possible score is 15. http: //www.glasgowcomascale.org/faq/ *Dealing with missing information: There are various different strategies for dealing with information that is missing because of factors interfering with assessment such as those described above. 1. Assess, communicate and make decisions using the remaining components. Although guidelines are often expressed in terms of a total GCS score, the trend in whichever of the components (eye, motor or verbal) can be assessed is still valuable. 2. Do not use number to record missing component; use Unknown or Untestable. 3. Do not report a total score when a component is Unknown or Untestable because the score will be low and this could be confusing to medical colleagues. This may also imply that the patient is more unwell than they actually are. 4. It is possible using statistical methods to estimate a missing component from the findings in the other components. This is probably more relevant to research than clinical practice.

GCS Total Score