Use of ultrasonography in confirming the malposition of the i-gel in pediatric patients: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to observe and compare the performance of fiberoptic laryngeal (FOL) view, leakage test (LT) and ultrasonography (USG) usage in detecting i-gel position in pediatric patients. METHODS: One hundred ten consecutive children were included in this single-armed prospective observational study. After anesthetic induction, i-gel placement confirmed using FOL and LT was evaluated using USG in three planes. According to our scoring system, acceptable and unacceptable grades (FOL, LT and USG) were determined to describe placement. Sensitivity and specificity were determined by comparing USG performance with the other two tests. RESULTS: Ultrasonography was found a sensitivity of 20% positive predictive value (PPV) for unacceptable i-gel placement according to FOL grade and a sensitivity of 37.04% with a 100% PPV according to LT grade. USG was found a specificity of 91.84% negative predictive value (NPV) of 91.84% for acceptable i-gel placement according to FOL grade and the NPV specificity of 100% with a 82.65% NPV according to LT grade. DISCUSSION: Ultrasonography demonstrated a very good diagnostic performance in the detection of optimal i-gel placement according to both FOL and LT. However, both FOL and LT showed poor diagnostic performance compared to USG in demonstrating i-gel malposition.

Morphometric examination of trigeminal nerve and its adjacent structures in patients with trigeminal neuralgia: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Morphological differences that can lead the trigeminal nerve to neurovascular conflict and a new solitary pontine lesion are associated with the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). In this case-control study, we aimed to contribute to the current discussions about the pathogenesis of TN by investigating the anatomical structures that may have an effect on the morphometric parameters of the trigeminal nerve. METHODS: This study included 25 patients with TN followed up for pain in the Department of Algology, Faculty of Medicine, and 25 age- and gender-matched controls. We performed morphometric measurements including the length and volume of the trigeminal nerve, cerebellopontine cistern, pons, and posterior fossa in the MRIs of these individuals. Comparative analyses were performed for the mean of the affected and unaffected sides of the TN patients and the right, left, and both sides of the control group. RESULTS: In patients with TN, on the affected side, length and volume of the trigeminal nerve and cerebellopontine cistern volume were found smaller than controls (p < 0.05). Pons volume was higher in patients with TN compared to controls (p < 0.05). The length of the affected nerve was significantly related to prepontine cistern length and cerebellopontine cistern volume (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: The cerebellopontine cistern volume has a significant impact on the morphometric characteristics of the trigeminal nerve. Especially, whether the increase in the volume of pons causes a decrease in the volume of cerebellopontine cistern should be clarified with further research.

The communication between patient relatives and physicians in intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are often physically unable to communicate with their physicians. Thus, the sharing of information about the on-going treatment of the patients in ICUs is directly related to the communication attitudes governing a patient's relatives and the physician. This study aims to analyze the attitudes displayed by the relatives of patients and the physician with the purpose of determining the communication between the two parties. METHODS: For data collection, two similar survey forms were created in context of the study; one for the relatives of the patients and one for the ICU physicians. The questionnaire included three sub-dimensions: informing, empathy and trust. The study included 181 patient relatives and 103 ICU physicians from three different cities and six hospitals. RESULTS: Based on the results of the questionnaire, identification of the mutual expectations and substance of the messages involved in the communication process between the ICU patients' relatives and physicians was made. The gender and various disciplines of the physicians and the time of the conversation with the patients' relatives were found to affect the communication attitude towards the patient. Moreover, the age of the patient's relatives, the level of education, the physician's perception, and the contact frequency with the patient when he/she was healthy were also proven to have an impact on the communication attitude of the physician. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the mutual expectations and substance of messages in the informing, empathy and trust sub-dimensions of the communication process between patient relatives and physicians in the ICU. The communication between patient relatives and physicians can be strengthened through a variety of training programs to improve communication skills.

Psychiatric disorders and association with quality of sleep and quality of life in patients with chronic pain: a SCID-based study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine Axis-I psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic pain (CP) and compare control subjects determined by a structured clinical interview. Another objective of the study was to examine whether there is an association between psychiatric disorders and quality of sleep, quality of life, and demographic and clinical characteristics in patients with CP. DESIGN: The study sample was comprised of 108 patients with CP and 54 control subjects without pain. Psychiatric interviews were conducted with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV (SCID). Also used were the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Hamilton Depression Inventory, Short Form-36, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: The rate of any Axis-I psychiatric disorder stood at 66.7% (any mood disorder, 50%; any anxiety disorder, 33.3%; any somatoform disorder, 20.4%; any substance use disorder, 16.6%), significantly more common in the patients' group compared with the control group. The most common psychiatric disorder was major depression (49.1%) in subjects with CP. Female gender, numbers of localization, and neck and back localizations were significantly higher in the SCID (+) group than the SCID (-) group. A statistically significant difference was observed between the SCID (+) and SCID (-) groups regarding visual analogue scale, depression and anxiety scores, mental component summary score, and global PSQI scores. CONCLUSION: Results of this study suggest that psychiatric morbidity in patients with CP is frequently seen and may adversely affect quality of sleep and quality of life of the patients. Therefore, the patients with CP should be examined with respect to their mental status.

The validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the quality of recovery-15 (QoR-15) questionnaire.

Quality of recovery (QoR) is a significant component of peri-operative health status and is influenced by patients' characteristics and surgical and anesthetic methods. The QoR-15 scale is a patient-reported outcome questionnaire that measures postoperative QoR. The validity of the QoR-15 scale has been proven in many languages. In this study, we aimed to translate the QoR-15 questionnaire into Turkish and evaluate its validity in the Turkish population. After being translated into Turkish, the questionnaire was administered to 190 patients who underwent obstetric, gynecological, orthopedic, or thoracic surgery under general or regional anesthesia. The Turkish version of QoR-15 (QoR-15T) was administered 2 times: before surgery and 24 hour after surgery. The feasibility, reliability, validity and responsiveness of the QoR-15T were evaluated. Because 13 patients were discharged within 24 hour postoperatively, the study was completed with 177 patients. The recruitment and completion rates of questionnaire were 95% and 93.1% respectively. The completing time of the questionnaire was 2.5 minutes preoperatively and 3.5 minutes postoperatively. The scale yielded a Cronbach α value of 0.75, a Cohen effect size of 1.42, and a standardized response mean of 1.39. There was a significant positive correlation (95% confidence interval; R = 0.68, P < .001) between QoR-15T and visual analog scale postoperatively. The correlation of the items with the total QoR-15T score ranged from 0.19 to 0.60. The total scores of preoperative and postoperative QoR-15T were mean: 130.67, standard deviation: 15.78 and mean: 108.23, standard deviation: 13.06, respectively, with a significant difference between them (P < .01). The QoR-15T is feasible, reliable, valid, and responsive among patients undergoing surgery under general and regional anesthesia.

Left femoral vein is a better choice for cannulation in children: a computed tomography study.

BACKGROUND: Central venous catheters are often required in emergency rooms and intensive care and/or those undergoing major surgical procedures. In this study, we aimed to gain a better understanding of the anatomy of the femoral vessel in relation to central venous cannulation. METHODS: The right and left (total of 180) femoral veins (FVs) of 90 consecutive pediatric patients were retrospectively evaluated using computed tomography images. Patients were divided into two groups according to their age: group 1, patients up to 9 years of age; and group 2, patients between 9 and 16 years of age. RESULTS: The position and overlap of femoral artery (FA) to FV are significantly different between the left and right sides in both groups (P = 0.001). The left FV was most commonly located medial to the FA. However, the right FV was most commonly located posterior-medial to the FA. The incidence of overlap of the FA over the FV was significantly lower at the left side in both groups. CONCLUSION: The incidence of overlap of the FA over the FV was significantly lower at the left side in pediatric patients. This finding was similar between the patients aged 2-8 years and those aged 9-16 years and may have significant clinical implications. Guiding clinicians to select the left FV of children for cannulation may result in lower arterial puncture rates while accessing the central vein.

Relationship between the right internal jugular vein and carotid artery at ipsilateral head rotation.

Ultrasound-guided right internal jugular vein catheterization (RIJV) should be the first choice to decrease the catheter-related complications in high-risk hemodialysis patients. For this procedure, clinicians should identify the optimum positions of the RIJV, including its lower overlap with the carotid artery (CA) and high cross-sectional area of the vein. The aim of this prospective randomized study to evaluate the effects of mild ipsilateral head rotation combined with Trendelenburg position on RIJV cross-sectional area and its relation to the CA in adult patients. Forty ASA I-II patients who were undergoing elective surgery were enrolled for this study. The subjects were asked to remain supine in the 15-20° Trendelenburg position. Two-dimensional ultrasound was then used to measure the degree of overlap between the RIJV and CA, the cross-sectional area of the RIJV. These measurements were compared between head rotation to the >30° left, <30° left, neutral, and <30° right positions. When the head was in the >30° left position, overlap was seen in 38 of 40 patients (95%). As the head was rotated from >30° left to <30° right, the CA-RIJV overlap (from 95% to 57.5%), and the cross-sectional area (from 14.2 mm to 8.7 mm) significantly decreased. In conclusion, when the head was turned to <30° right, the CA-RIJV overlap significantly decreased, and the cross-sectional area also decreased. When clinicians determine the optimal head position before RIJV cannulation, it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the different head positions from >30° left to <30° right.

Optimal angle of needle entry for internal jugular vein catheterization with a neutral head position: a CT study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine the optimal angle of needle entry in the sagittal plane for internal jugular vein (IJV) catheterization with the central approach while the head is in the neutral position. METHODS: The contrast-enhanced carotid artery computed tomography angiographies of 123 consecutive patients were retrospectively reviewed. The point of merger between the sternal and clavicular heads of the sternocleidomastoid muscle was assumed as a clinical entry (CE) point. The angle between CE point and the center of the IJV, the depth, diameter of the vessels and the degree of overlap between the IJV and carotid artery (CA) were measured. RESULTS: The angles between the CE point and the center of the IJVs were similar, 7° ± 13° medial and 8° ± 12° medial on the right and the left side, respectively. The center of IJVs from the CE point was between 0° and 16° toward the medial in 79.8% on the right side and 89.9% on the left side of patients. The diameters of the right IJVs were greater than the left IJVs (p = 0.001). The depth from the skin and overlap between IJV and CA did not vary between the two sides. CONCLUSIONS: When a central approach is used for right internal jugular vein (RIJV) cannulation with a neutral head position, the orientation of the angle of needle entry (i.e., 16°) medially in the sagittal plane may quadruple the success rate of RIJV catheterization compared to the success rate of a laterally oriented angle of entry as recommended by the classic method.

The Use of End-Tidal CO2 and Integrated Pulmonary Index to Predict Postspinal Hypotension in Cesarean Section.

Early diagnosis and treatment of postspinal hypotension (PSH) in obstetric anaesthesia reduces the risk of maternofetal complications. In this study, the effect of EtCO2 and the integrated pulmonary index (IPI) in predicting PSH was investigated. Patients scheduled for cesarean section under spinal anaesthesia were included. The Capnostream 35 respiratory monitor (Medtronic, Inc., Dublin, Ireland) was used for EtCO2 and IPI. PSH developed in 52 (63.4%) of the 82 patients. EtCO2 and IPI values decreased significantly compared with baseline values in patients who developed PSH. There were statistically significant differences in EtCO2 (p = 0.001) and the IPI change (p = 0.045) in patients who developed PSH compared with those who did not. It was found that the EtCO2 difference had an independent effect on predicting PSH (p < 0.05), whereas the IPI difference did not (p > 0.05). One unit decrease in EtCO2 from the baseline increased the risk of PSH by 3.3 times. ROC curve analysis showed that the magnitude of change in EtCO2 was diagnostic for predicting PSH (AUC: 0.90 (0.83-0.97; p < 0.001)). IPI showed no predictive value for postspinal hypotension in cesarean section. However, EtCO2 monitoring, which is non-invasive and real-time monitoring, can be used to predict postspinal hypotension.

Effect of Obesity on the Recovery Profile After General Anesthesia in Children: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has become a serious problem not only in adult patients but also in pediatric patients. AIM: To evaluate whether obesity affects the recovery profile after general anesthesia in children. PARTICIPANTS: 40 children (aged 2-12 years) who underwent surgery under general anesthesia and had an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical I and II. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted over a period of 3 months (January- April, 2021). The patients were divided into two groups according to body mass index (BMI): Group I comprised obese children (BMI ≥95th for age percentile) (n=20) and Group II comprised children with a normal BMI (25-75th for-age percentile) (n=20). Anesthesia induction and maintenance were performed as per standard guidelines in both the groups. OUTCOME: The recovery profile was evaluated with the following parameters: time to spontaneous ventilation, laryngeal mask airway removal time, time to open eyes, and post-anesthesia care unit discharge time. RESULTS: When the recovery profiles were compared, no significant differences were found between the groups. Time to spontaneous ventilation [mean difference (95% CI); 0.66 (0.09-1.42); P=0.085], laryngeal mask airway removal time [MD (95% CI); 1.12 (0.06-2.22); P=0.057), time to open eyes [MD (95% CI) 0.66 (0.40-1.74); P=0.217], and post-anesthesia care unit dis-charge time [MD (95% CI) 3.60 (0.59-7.25); P=0.054] were higher in Group II; however, these differences lacked both statistical and clinical significance. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that obesity has no effect on the recovery profile after general anesthesia in children in our setting.

The comparison of ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve block and pre-incision wound infiltration for pediatric inguinal hernia repair: A prospective randomized clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common daily surgeries performed in pediatrics. This prospective randomized clinical trial aims to compare ultrasound (USG)-guided ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (IL/IH) nerve block and pre-incisional wound infiltration (PWI) in terms of post-operative analgesia on pediatric unilateral inguinal hernia repair. METHODS: After receiving ethics committee approval, 65 children aged 1-6 years who had unilateral inguinal hernia repair were allocated to USG-guided IL/IH nerve block (group IL/IH, n=32) and (group PWI, n=33). In both groups, 0.5 mg/kg 0.25% bupivacaine+2% prilocaine mixture was used by calculating the volume as 0.5 mL/kg for the block and infiltration. The primary outcome was to compare both groups' post-operative Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scores. The secondary outcomes included the time to first analgesic request and the total acetaminophen consumption. RESULTS: The FLACC pain scores at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 12th h were statistically significantly lower in group IL/IH than in group PWI (p=0.013, p<0.001, p<0.001, and p=0.037, respectively) (p<0.001). There was no difference between the groups at the 10th and 30th min and at 24 h (p=0.472, p=0.586, and p=0.419, respectively) (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: USG-guided IL/IH nerve block in pediatric patients with inguinal hernia repair was found to be superior to PWI in terms of lower pain scores, less additional analgesia requirement, and longer first analgesia requirement.

Is a neutral head position as effective as head rotation during landmark-guided internal jugular vein cannulation? Results of a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Central venous access remains a cornerstone procedure for a variety of clinical conditions. Ultrasound studies suggest that rotation of the head increases the magnitude of the overlap of the internal jugular vein with the carotid artery. The authors assessed whether a neutral position of the head during anatomic landmark-guided cannulation of the internal jugular vein (IJV) was an attractive alternative to rotating the neck to a >45° head turn. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, controlled study. SETTING: An education and research hospital and a university-affiliated hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty patients requiring central venous catheterization in the right IJV. INTERVENTIONS: Under general anesthesia, patients were positioned in the Trendelenburg position with extension of the neck. In the rotated group, the head was rotated to the left at >45°. In the neutral group, the head was placed in the neutral position. Right IJV cannulation was performed using the central approach with the needle angled toward the ipsilateral nipple. The primary outcome variable was the cumulative success rate, which was defined as IJV puncture achieved in the first 3 attempts using a finder needle. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Groups were similar in terms of demographic data. The success rates of finder needle passes into the IJV on the first attempt were 87.5% and 37.5% (p < 0.05), and the cumulative success rates on the first 3 attempts were 97.5% and 57.5% in the rotated and neutral groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Carotid artery puncture only occurred in 2 patients in the rotated group. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the lower success rate, the neutral head position is not an attractive alternative for IJV catheterization when compared with the rotated head position in a central landmark IJV approach.

Delayed recovery from rocuronium block in an infant.

Prolonged duration of action of rocuronium in an infant patient is rare. We report an unusual case of prolonged neuromuscular blockade with rocuronium in an infant undergoing cleft lip repair anesthetized with sevoflurane and management of the patient.

Retrospective Evaluation of Patients Underwent Ganglion Impar Pulsed Radiofrequency due to Coccydynia.

Objectives: Although ganglion impar blockade has long been an effective procedure in the treatment of coccydynia, the pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the ganglion impar (GI) is a relatively new approach for the management of coccydynia. In the present study, we aimed to retrospectively evaluate patients who underwent GI PRF due to coccydynia. Methods: Twenty-six patients diagnosed with coccydynia and treated with a PRF of the GI were included in this retrospective study. Clinical characteristics of the patients and treatment success were evaluated. Pain intensity was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). Results: The study included 19 (73.1%) female and 7 (26.9%) male patients. The median age of the patients was 45 (IQR: 24-60) years, and the etiology of pain was trauma in 21 (80.8%) of the 26 patients evaluated. There was a statistically significant decrease in VAS scores after GI PRF (Respectively; 6 [IQR: 6-7] and 2 [IQR: 0-3]). The PRF of the GI treatment success was 84.6%. Treatment success was 100% in patients with neuropathic pain and 59.1% in patients with nociceptive pain. Conclusion: GI PRF is an effective and reliable procedure with low complication rate for pain relief in coccydynia.

Comparison of nutritional parameters among adult and elderly hemodialysis patients.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional biochemical parameters, prealbumin levels, and bioimpedance analysis parameters of adult and elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study included 50 adult HD patients (42.0 % female). Nutritional status was assessed by post-dialysis multifrequency bioimpedance analysis (BIA), serum prealbumin and other nutritional biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 57.4±15.1 years (range: 30-83 years) and mean dialysis duration was 68.3 ± 54.5 months (range: 3-240 months). When the patients were divided into two groups according to age of patients (<65 and ≥65), prealbumin (p=0.003), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (p=0.000), serum creatinine (p=0.013), albumin (p=0.016), protein catabolic rate per normalized body weight (nPCR) (p=0.001), intracellular water (ICW)/total body weight (0.003) , body fat mass (p00.000), lean body mass (p=0.031), lean dry mass (p=0.001), illness marker (p=0.005), basal metabolism (p=0.007), body mass index (BMI) (p=0.028), body fat mass index (BFMI) (p=0.000), fat free mass index (FFMI) (p=0.040) values were significantly different between the groups. In the elderly patients (age ≥65), body fat mass, illness marker, BMI, BFMI were higher compared to adult patients (age <65). Additionally, in the elderly patients, prealbumin, BUN, creatinine, albumin, nPCR, ICW/ total body weight, lean body weight, lean dry weight, basal metabolism and FFMI were lower than adult patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that BFMI were higher, albumin, prealbumin, nPCR and lean body mass and FFMI were lower in elderly patients compared to adults. These results imply that elderly HD patients may be prone sarcopenic obesity and may require special nutritional support.

Estimating the Lumbar Puncture Needle Depth in Children.

Background: Lumbar puncture's (LP) success is dependent on the skill of the physician, anatomy, size, and posture of the patient. Aims: The purpose of this study was to describe a method that could be used to help estimate the correct depth of needle (Y) insertion in children based on age, weight (W), and height (H). Methods: The study consisted of 200 children American Society of Anesthesiologist class I-II aged 0-12 years who underwent spinal block for orthopedic, pediatric, and genitourinary surgery. The distance from the skin entry point to the tip of the spinal needle was measured after the LP was performed. The relationship between the Y and W, H and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Predictive statistical models were used to determine the LP needle depth. A paired sample t-test was conducted to compare the findings of the developed model with those of earlier models. Results: The patients were aged 2-144 months, with H and W of 43-154 cm and 2.5-48 kg, respectively. The BMI was 10.75-37.72 kg/m2. Before the Y was estimated, the relationship between the independent variables and the depth variable, which was the dependent variable, was examined. According to the obtained results, the model consists of strong relationships with H, W, and H + W. The formula for predicting Y based on W plus H was as follows: for all patients: Y (cm) = 0.861 + 0.012 × H (cm) + 0.035 × W (kg). Based on H, the formula for predicting the required Y was as follows: For all patients: Y (cm) = 0.393 + 0.023 × H (cm). Based on W, the formula for predicting the required Y was as follows: For all patients: Y (cm) = 1.460 + [0.067 × W (kg)]. Conclusion: The formula may provide a more reliable estimate of the required LP depth in children than that obtained using current models. However, larger studies are needed to standardize the formula.

Ultrasound-guided adductor canal block using levobupivacaine versus periarticular levobupivacaine infiltration after totalknee arthroplasty: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Both postoperative pain control and range of motion are important in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, in the literature, there is little comparison of peripheral nerve blocks and periarticular infiltration techniques using levobupivacaine. The aim of our study was to measure pain with visual analogue scale (VAS) and knee range of motion (ROM) between in patients undergoing adductor canal block (ACB) for TKA using levobupivacaine compared to periarticular levobupivacaine infiltration (PAI-L). DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective randomized clinical trial in a university hospital. METHODS: Patients aged 40-85 years who underwent unilateral TKA were included; 39 were treated withperiarticular infiltration using 40 ml (0.125 mg) of levobupivacaine (PAI-L group); and 40 were treated with ACB using 20 ml of 0.25% levobupivacaine (ACB-L group). Postoperative pain scores at rest and during active physical therapy were assessed using a VAS, along with knee ROM in flexion and extension. In addition, 100-foot walking time results, total morphine consumption and time of first analgesia requirement were recorded postoperatively. RESULTS: VAS scores at rest and during active physical therapy and the total amount of morphine consumed were lower in the ACB-L group than in the PAI-L group (P < 0.05). In contrast, knee ROM in flexion and extension and 100-foot walking times were greater in the PAI-L group than in the ACB-L group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ACB-L was superior to PAI-L regarding pain treatment after TKA; however, PAI-L was superior to ACB-L regarding postoperative ROM and walking ability. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: ACTRN-12618000438257.

Comparison of Glasgow Coma Scale and Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (Four) Score: A Prospective Study.

AIM: To assess reliability by comparing the Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) scores and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) values assigned by specialists from two different fields to patients in the Anesthesiology and Reanimation and Neurosurgery intensive care units. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was conducted between March 2017 and June 2017 at Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine, Departments of Anesthesiology and Reanimation and Neurosurgery. Seventy-nine patients aged 18-65 years who were treated for at least 24 hours in the intensive care unit were independently assessed by two raters, an anesthesiologist and a neurosurgeon,using FOUR and GCS. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test was applied for continuous variables, and SPSS 20.0 version software was used for data analyses. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between FOUR scores and GCS values given by the two raters. The mortality rate among patients with low scores on both FOUR and GCS was higher than the hospital mortality rate. CONCLUSION: Considering that FOUR score allows a more detailed neurological evaluation than GCS, and our findings suggest that FOUR score is more useful for patients who are unconscious or dependent on mechanical ventilation.