Authors: Ladislav Volicer Stephen A Berman Patsy B Cipolloni Alan Mandell
Publish Date: 1997/11/01
Volume: 54, Issue: 11, Pages: 1382-1384
Abstract
Design and Methods Eightyeight institutionalized patients with a diagnosis of possible or probable Alzheimer disease were evaluated for the presence of persistent vegetative state Initial screening excluded patients who were able to do any of the following feed themselves respond to command walk or maintain continence of bowel and bladder A sample of 12 of 28 patients unable to perform any of these functions was examined independently by 3 of usResults During the first examination 2 patients were diagnosed as being in a vegetative state by 2 of us and 3 additional patients by 1 of us One of us did not diagnose any patient as being in a vegetative state A second evaluation of the same patients was performed 2 months later after holding a consensus meeting to standardize the evaluation procedure During the second evaluation the vegetative state was diagnosed in 6 patients but only by 1 of us
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