How frequently do we encounter polytrauma patients with conscious disorder without intracranial hemorrhagic injury?

The purpose of this study was to clarify the rate and characteristics of conscious disorder without intracranial hemorrhagic injury in polytrauma patients. The medical records of polytrauma patients with conscious disorder without intracranial hemorrhagic injury were reviewed. Fifty-five patients (35.3% of 156 polytrauma patients with conscious disorder) were enrolled. Admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score was 15 in 34%, 14 in 22%, and less than 8 in 13%. In 39 patients (70.9%), clear causes of conscious disorder (alcohol and shock) were evident. A high rate of conscious disorder derived from shock was noted in the more severe conscious disorder categories. Conscious disorder due to alcohol was likely seen in patients whose GCS scores were 13 and 14. The rate of conscious disorder without intracranial hemorrhagic injury was high among polytrauma patients. We could not differentiate the pattern of conscious disorder in polytrauma patients without intracranial hemorrhagic injury from that seen in polytrauma patients with intracranial hemorrhagic injury.