| Methods |
Controlled clinical trial. Two groups were matched for age, sex and type of injury ‐ each selected for two different health care facilities. |
| Participants |
30 patients with traumatic brain injury (mean age 28 y, range 18‐47, 18 male and 12 female), at least 2 weeks from the trauma, admitted at 2 different health care facilities. GCS ranged from 3 to 14, length of coma ranged from 6 hours to 6 months. The subjects in the control group (15) were matched with the patients in the experimental group (15) on the basis of age, sex, type of injury, GCS and length of time post‐injury. |
| Interventions |
Experimental group: stimulation of 6 modalities: visual, auditory, olfactory, cutaneous, kinestesic, oral. Treatment initiated at least 2 weeks from the trauma, and lasted 45 minutes, twice a day, 6 days per week for a 1 to 3 month period, depending of the subject’s length of coma. Relatives were encouraged to apply sensory stimulation whenever they approached or delivered care to the patient.
Control group received nursing care without planned, structured sensory stimulation. |
| Outcomes |
Level of Cognitive Functioning (LCF) measured 2 weeks post injury (baseline) and at 3 months post injury. |
| Notes |
In this study the inclusion criteria were broad (e.g. GCS from 3 to 14). |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
High risk |
C ‐ Inadequate |
