Consensus on covert awareness: a Delphi study

Identifying wilful brain activity in patients with disorders of consciousness is critical, as some patients fail to exhibit behavioural signs of consciousness at the bedside but respond to active tasks via neuroimaging or electrophysiological measures. Standardized terminology for this subgroup is absent while it is essential for advancing research and clinical care. The objective of this study was to determine the level of consensus among a large group of international experts on terminology and definitions for this clinical entity, as described by terms such as covert awareness, cognitive motor dissociation, functional locked-in syndrome, and non-behavioural minimally conscious state. A Delphi study was conducted using REDCap to evaluate expert agreement on terminology and definitions. The study was conducted among international experts, primarily from Europe/UK, the USA and other regions. Ninety-six experts participated. Among these, 75 (78%) completed both rounds. Participants were predominantly clinical scientists (71%) working in rehabilitation settings (63%). A Delphi method was followed. Consensus on terminology and related definitions was defined as a median score of 5, an interquartile range ≤1 and ≥75% agreement (scores of 4 or 5). Within two rounds, consensus was achieved for over two-thirds of the statements. The term 'Covert Awareness' and its associated definition were identified as the preferred terminology by an international expert panel. We recommend the use of 'Covert Awareness' since our large group of international experts consistently agreed on such preferred term for this subgroup of patients with disorders of consciousness. This consensus (>75% agreement) establishes a foundation both for future research and clinical standardization. The findings have implications for improving diagnostic accuracy and advancing understanding of covert awareness, although further study is needed to refine and apply the agreed-upon definition in clinical practice.