Table 3.
Main Characteristics and Results of Included Studies
| First Author (year), Country | Study Design | Outcome Measurement | Positive (+) and/or Negative (-) Findings | Statistically Significant Results Reported | Sensory Modalities Tested | Intervention/Test duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coma Studies (n = 29) | ||||||
| Abbasi et al. (2009), Iran | RCT | GCS | + | Yes | A,T,Affect | Daily, 15 min for 6 days |
| Attwell et al. (2019), Switzerland | Prospective Cross over | CRS-R | + | Yes | A, V, T, Ph | 2 × 25 min session Indoor & Outdoor - randomized |
| Canedo et al. (2002), U.S.A | Case study | GCS, RLA | + | No | A,V,G,T | < 3 months |
| Cheng et al. (2018), China/Italy | Single-case; ABAB Withdrawal | CRS-R | -/+ | Yes | A, T, O, V, G | 6 × 20 min over 4 weeks, A Phase = Rehabilitation |
| Deiva et al. (2017), India | Pre-Post | CRS-R, GCS | ± | Yes | A, V, O, T | 2 weeks |
| Di Stefano et al. (2012), Italy | Pre-Post | WHIM | + | Yes | A,V,O,T | Daily, 5 weeks |
| Doman et al. (1993), U.S.A | Pre-Post | GOS | + | No | A,V,O,G,T | Hourly, 6 days/week > 4 months |
| Hall et al. (1992), Canada | Pre-Post | WNSSP, GCS, RLA, Rader Scale | + | No | A,V,O,G,T | Once daily, 30 min, weekdays for two weeks. 2 or 3 rotations per participant |
| Johnson et al. (1993), UK | RCT | GCS, GSR, HR | -/+ | Yes | A,V,O,G,T | 1 h daily |
| Kaewsriwong et al. (2015), Thailand | Case study | GCS, RLA, SMART | + | No | A,V,O,G, T,K | Daily, < 6 months |
| Kater (1989), U.S.A | Pre-Post | GCS, EII, Cog Assess | + | Yes | A,V,O,G,K,C | 2 × day 45 min for 6 days over 1–3 months |
| Keller et al. (2007), Germany | Pre-Post | EEG | + | No | A,T | Insufficient detail |
| Grüner and Terhaag (2000), Germany | Pre-Post | GOS, Neurological condition | + | No | A,V,O,G,T,P | 2, 1 h sessions daily for around 9 days. 10 min rest 10 min stimulation pattern |
| Megha et al. (2013), India | RCT | GCS, WNSSP, eye tracking, arousal | + | Yes | A,V,O, G, T, | Group A: 5 × day 20 min for 5 weekdays over 2 weeks; Group B: 2 × day 50 min for 5 weekdays over 2 weeks |
| Mandeep (2012), India | RCT | GCS, CRS | + | Yes | A,V,T,K | Each sense stimulated twice a day (approx. 30 s each) for 2 weeks |
| Mitchell et al. (1990), UK | Pre-Post | GCS | + | No | A,V,O, G, T, | 2 × day over 4 weeks |
| Moattari et al. (2016), Iran | RCT | GCS, RLA, WNSSP | + | Yes | A,V,O,T | 2 × day over 7 days |
| Noda et al. (2004), Japan | Pre-Post | PVS | + | Yes | A,T,K | 5 min × 3 over 30 min |
| Oh and Seo (2003), Republic of Korea | Observational | GCS | + | No | A,V,O,G,T,Ph | 2 × day over 7 days, 4 weeks over 4 months |
| Pierce et al. (1990), Australia | Pre-Post | GCS | - | No | A,V,T | 8 h daily, until patient accepted for conventional therapy |
| Rader et al. (1989), U.S.A | Observational | Eye opening | + | No | A,V,O,G, T, | 30-45 min |
| Sargolzaei et al. (2017), Iran | RCT | SMART | -/+ | Yes | A,V, O, G, T, Ph | 14 weeks x 90 min daily |
| Talbot and Whitaker, (1994), Canada | Pre-Post | GCS, DRS, LCFS, CNCS, Freeman Questionnaire | + | No | A,V,O,T,P | Insufficient detail; 4 intervention phases, participants received at least 2; Some indication intervention lasted for 24 months |
| Urbenjaphol et al. (2009), Thailand | RCT | GCS, SMART | ± | Yes | A,V,O,G,T | 30 min every 2 h daily over 2 weeks |
| Wijnen et al. (2006), The Netherlands | Pre-Post |
WNSSP, DRS, HR GOS-E, |
+ | Yes | A,V,O,T | 15 min |
| Wilson et al. (1991), UK | Pre-Post | Eye opening, Body movement | ± | Yes | A,V,O,G,T | 10 min daily |
| Wilson et al. (1993), UK | Observational | Eye opening, Body movement | ± | Yes | A,V,O,G,T | Daily over 15 days, < > 3 months |
| Wilson et al. (1996), UK | Cohort | Eye opening, Body movement, Activity Engagement, Vocalisation | + | Yes | A,V,O,G,T | 3-week blocks, 2 × daily; 1–8 sets of treatment blocks needed |
| Wood et al. (1993), U.S.A | Pre-Post | GCS, SRH, RLA | + | Yes | A,V,O,T | 5 s stimulus, 10 s break; 5 trials per modality. Unclear how long each session took |
| No Coma Studies (n = 14) | ||||||
| Gomez et al. (2016), Spain | Pre-Post | EEG | ± | Yes | A,V | 18 min |
| de Diego et al. (2013), Spain | RCT | FMA, SIS-16, MAL, ST | + | Yes | P, T | 16 one hr sessions over 8 weeks |
| Poza et al. (2013), Spain | Pre-Post | EEG | + | Yes | V,A | 18 min |
| Smania et al. (2003), Italy | Observational | Task performance | + | Yes | V,T,W,P,S | Insufficient detail – 30 training sessions completed |
| Carey et al. (1993), Australia | Pre-Post | Texture discrimination | + | No | T, P | 10 sessions, 15–30 min |
| Yekutiel and Guttman (1993), Israel | Pre-Post | Sensory training | + | Yes | T, P, S | 45 min over 6 weeks |
| de Jersey (1979), Australia | Pre-Post | Sensory Assessments | -/+ | No | T, Temp, Pressure | 1–2 min |
| Heine et al. (2017), France | Pre-Post | CRS-R | ± | Yes | A,O,N | 4 sessions 20 min over 4 weeks |
| Bonan et al. (2016), France | Pre-Post | Posture: Optokinetic and galvanic vestibular stimulation | + | Yes | V,P,K | 15 s rest, 35 s right side stimulation, 3 min rest, 35 s left side stimulation |
| Byl et al. (2008), U.S.A | RCT | FIM, FMC, Strength | ± | Yes | K, S, G | 12–72 h up to 6 weeks |
| Lynch et al. (2007), Australia | RCT | Semmes–Weinstein | -/+ | Yes | T, Temp | 10 × 30 min over 2 weeks |
| Helliwell (2009), UK | Case study | RASP, FIM | - | No | T, P, S | Weekly over 3 weeks |
| Dogru Huzmeli et al. (2017), Turkey | RCT | MMSE, TIS | - | Yes | T, P | 10 × 45 min over 2 weeks |
| Sedghi and Ghaljeh (2020), Iran | Pre-Post | RASS | -/+ | Yes | A, T | 7 × 10 min over 1 week, stimulation measured pre stimulation and 30 min post |