The Glasgow Coma and Outcome Scales: Practical Questions and Answers

Abstract

Since they were described, the Glasgow Coma Scale [6] and Outcome Scale [1] have gained wide acceptance and are now in use throughout the world. Nevertheless, such commonplace use can engender a feeling of familiarity that can lead to them being used less effectively than ideal. Usually this is the result of some of the factors that were crucial in their development, and remain important in their day to day application, being overlooked. It is therefore appropriate to re-visit some of the features that are the basis of reliable, robust use of the scales and in the interpretation of their findings.