Primary objective: To determine if electrical stimulation (ES) benefits (waking time, 3-month outcomes) treated coma patients.
Research design: Double blind randomized-controlled study.
Methods and procedures: Ten coma patients; six treatment and four controls, using the 'Respond Select' by EMPI.
Experimental interventions: Treatment group received radial nerve ES applied in 300 ms intermittent pulses at 40 Hz, 15-20m A 8 hours a day up to 14 days of coma; control group received sham stimulation.
Main outcomes and results: ES group emerged from coma mean 2 days earlier than controls, although this result was not statistically significant. At 3 months post-injury, there was no group difference in Glasgow Outcome Scale, although the ES group had improved function over controls as measured by the FIM/FAM (mean of 114 and 64.5, respectively, n.s.).
Conclusions: These data show an interesting trend, although statistical power was limited in this small pilot study, suggesting the need for a larger trial.