[Causes of disorders of consciousness in internal medicine intensive care units]

The present study on 5330 patients admitted to the internal intensive care unit over the five year period (1990-1994) indicated that consciousness disorders are most frequently associated with poisoning. On admission, the state of consciousness of 665 of these 5330 patients was retrospectively evaluated. Poisoning by drugs was most common among intoxications (93 patients of 154 cases of poisoning). Coma, which is the most severe manifestation of consciousness disorder, occurred very often in these patients. Poisoning caused by other agents was connected with other forms of consciousness disorders. Low Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) was a severe predictor, while the number of deaths among patients with GCS > 10 was low. Sepsis was the next most common cause of consciousness disorder among our patients (88 patients). Death rate in these patients was high, amounting to almost 50%, regardless of GCS on admission, suggesting that the severity of main event determines the outcome. Glycemia disorders, including hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia as well as hyperosmotic state, did not result in lethal outcome, regardless of GCS on admission. The highest death rate was registered in patients with cardiopulmonary arrest and lowest GCS on admission. Patients with cardiogenic shock, despite high GCS on admission, had high death rate.